Irresistible Force
by Golum936
Summary: Being born into Hyuga clan is cool, being The Gamer is even cooler. Too bad some characters are just too OP. AU Self-Insert / SI
1. Rebirth

**Prologue**

* * *

You know something funny, I never expected something like this. Sure, you read stories about how it happened to other people and how they would've reacted, but trust me, nothing can prepare you for it. Oh, you must be wondering what 'it' is, well by 'it' I mean reincarnation. And not just reincarnation into another living being, but into another world altogether.

Now I will spare you all the gruesome and frankly traumatizing details of my 're-birth' and just get to the part where I'm held in the arms of a strange woman, who I assume to be my body's mother. Don't get me wrong, she was a beautiful woman, when I say strange I mean her freaky white eyes. She had extremely long black hair, fair skin tone, very strange featureless white eyes and her face was stoic but I could see a playful smile on her lips. Her hair was bit disheveled, there were dark circles under her eyes and it was clear that she was exhausted, which is understandable seeing how she just gave birth to my new body.

Now don't judge me, but until you've seen it yourself you won't realize just how freaky those eyes look up close and personal. And she was not the only one with those strange eyes, no, there were several other people in the room with the same eyes.

I was exhausted from this whole situation but was determined to stay awake and learn what the heck was going on right now. Several people were surrounding the bed and looking at me and my new mother. All of their faces showed very little emotion and they all looked kinda similar to my new mother, so I assume that they are somehow related.

"Hitomi, you gave birth to a very healthy and strong son, Hitoshi would've been proud." said one of the older looking people in the room in Japanese, with a slight accent I was not familiar with.

"Yes, too bad neither of us will live to see him grow up." said Hitomi with a small smile on her face but clear sadness in her eyes "How long do I have left?"

"An hour at most. The medic-nin tried to do what they could, but your internal bleeding is too heavy." said the person to her left.

"What will happen to him once I die?" asked Hitomi while still intently looking at me.

"He's a son of a main branch member, he will be raised as one, you have my word." said the person to her right.

"Oji-sama, thank you." said my mother with a very tired voice.

"Now, what would you like to name him, Hitomi?" said same person, who I suppose is my mother's uncle and therefore my great uncle.

"I will name him Hiroshi in hopes that he will have better luck than either of his parents." said Hitomi.

"Hmm, its a good name, a strong name. Hyuga Hiroshi it is." now when my great uncle said that everything came into place. The white freaky eyes, the stoic faces and most importantly where I am.

"Let us leave, let Hitomi spend her last moments with her son." said one of the elderly looking people and they all shuffled out of the room. My mother was looking at me with sad and tired eyes, but at the same time they were full of love. While I did not know her for long, that hour that I spent alone with her, will eventually become one of my most cherished moments and her last words always stuck with me for the rest of my life.

"Hiroshi, neither me nor your father will live to see you grow into a strong and happy man. But even though you might not remember, I want you to know. I want you to know that we both love you very much, nor matter what happens in the future we will always be proud of you. No matter what happens, know that we are always looking over you." and with that, the woman who I would never be able to get to know and call mother, died.

But the most weird and confusing thing was what happened next.

* * *

**Passive Skill acquired**

**"Mother's Last Words"  
LVL:MAX  
+10 WIS  
"You heard the last words of your mother, she imparted great wisdom to you."**

* * *

Passive Skill acquired

"Hyuga"  
LVL:MAX  
+10 DEX  
+5 INT  
"You were born into a prominent Hyuga Clan."

* * *

**Title acquired  
"Young Orphan"  
+10 VIT  
+5 DEX  
+5 STR  
"Both of your parents died before you got to know them."**


	2. Baby Steps

**Chapter 1**

* * *

Okay, I can accept the fact that I was reborn into Naruto verse, no problem. Let's go have some fun, mess around with the plot, derail it even! Reincarnation, I can take. Turning my very living life into a game? That's downright _sadistic!  
_  
Before the reincarnation, the gamification, I was a fan of Naruto and The Gamer, and I'm not gonna lie. It's kinda cool, but knowing what I do about the 'villains' of naruto I'd probably need it to see my life past the age of thirty seven.

I need to distinguish myself as early as possible. Some people think its fine to just stay in the background and have skills strong enough to protect themselves from minor threats and get the heck away from the large ones. I will not be satisfied with that, I won't be satisfied until I'm strong enough to at least take on Kage level opponents, I won't be satisfied until I get that S Rank in bingo book.

I was going to be alive when Konoha itself was _ground to dust_ by a man who thought that pain would bring peace... _**joy.**__ Suddenly,_ a thought hit me... had the third war been yet? Would I be a participant. . .

But in the end, I didn't **need** any of that, I wanted it. I had a chance here, a change to attain greatness, strength and with it, the ability to protect myself. I wanted it. I wanted it so bad it hurt. I wanted to have the strength to _decide_ things.

But first things first, I need someone to change my diaper.

* * *

**2 years later**

* * *

After my mother died, my grand uncle took me in. He had two sons, I recognized them both before he even said their names, their names were Hiashi and Hizashi, they were both in their teens, around 16 years old. They both strayed to the serious side demeanor wise, but they weren't so bad. They both cared for me, treated me like their own little brother. They went out of their way when they could to spend time with me, and personally. I believed that I made them happy too, if the hidden smiles were any indication.

While in the manga and anime Hiashi is shown to be a bit of a jerk, as far as family goes he's pretty good. Hizashi is actually pretty cool, he's not exactly the cool older brother everyone wishes for, but he's okay in my book. So far I see none of the hostility that they are shown to have in the series, it probably started after Hiashi became head of the clan. They got along at the moment, they got along just fine. The treated each other as they were,_brothers. _

I recently spotted the Hokage mountains among the early morning rays, three magnificent faces stood proud, against even the elements. _Although_ the first one _did_ look slightly beaten by the weather. By the lack of the famous Fourth Hokage's face, I can safely assume that Minato _hasn't_ become one yet, which means that I'm somewhere around the third war... I again briefly wondered if I would have to participate within the war.

This lets me get an approximate timeline, I was born around the same time as Kakashi and his generation. Which means that its around a little more than a decade before the Kyuubi gets summoned by Tobi in the middle of Konoha. Which gives me some time to plan and prepare.

This let me know that I do not have much time left and unless I want to get squashed by The Nine Tails I need to show some initiative. Of course it surprised everyone when I started to talk and walk WAY before any of my peers did. I was immediately branded as a prodigy, which did give me a nice title, the ego boost also helped.

* * *

You've acquired a new Title!

_Young Prodigy!_

**All stats are increased by 15%**

**"You're capable of surpassing all expectations and your talent shines brighter than most others. Your shine is compared in hushed whispers to the legends of times past. Will you live up to it?"**

* * *

I swear I thought my grand uncle and all the elders were going to have an aneurysm from how much they tried to hide their grins. They probably rubbed into the face of the Uchihas at every opportunity. And yes, the rivalry between the Uchiha and Hyuga clans was not exaggerated. They might no have hated each others guts, but they sure did go out of their way to compare who got the bigger stick.

There hadn't been a 'true' prodigy born to the clan in any sense of the world for _generations._ See what the last true prodigy born to the clan had created, I imagine that even if there _had_ been more prodigy's born, they would never have lived up the the expectations of the 'ancestor' prodigy. I doubted I could myself, _but _**hell be damned** if you wouldn't try.

Hiashi and Hizashi took turns to teach me the Juken, an honor you had heard whispered around. I picked up on the underlying principles and the stances themselves rather quickly, having the perseverance of an aged man, with the mental pliability of a child, well. I _practically absorbed_ it. The basics however, turned out to be more inclusive that I'd initially thought. The 'basics' to the Hyuuga was the history of it's art, they covered in many exhaustive hours the generations that had worked tirelessly to enhance it for the next. They extolled the sheer bloody minded determination that went into its creation, and it's constant evolution.

From what they told me, one of the ancestors of Hyuga clan, whose name had been lost to the cruel sands of time, created the Juken to defend himself and those he loved without causing serious harm to his opponents. He was a pacifist, who refused to kill or seriously hurt even those who tried to hurt him or his family. One day however, people whom he had humiliated, people who had challenged him in battle only to be, in their eyes, spat upon by the man when he didn't kill them, merely disabled them banded together. They wanted revenge, and they took it. They brutalized his family before him, everyone has their own twist on it, but in truth nobody remembers. It is know that they were killed however, his broken and battered body thrown into the nearest river. His attackers utterly _convinced_ that they had killed him, and certain that even if he still drew breath after all they wrought upon his flesh, that the freezing river would finish him off. Once the Hyuga ancestor recovered from his injuries, he vowed vengeance on those man and their families. He vowed that as long as the those man and those of their blood walk under the same sky, he will not have peace. That day, the very art that he created to protect, he turned into something beyond deadly, that would make everyone with half a brain fear him. He reverted his technique to, instead of protect to destroy. A taijutsu that could _kill_ with a simple tap.. Using the Byakugan, he tracked down every single man and ended their lives and the lives of their families. It's claimed that the Hyuuga ancestor was so deep in his grief, so consumed by his fury that he alone ended five bloodlines, five clans in his quest for vengance.

I'll let you in on a little secret; being born into Hyuga clan is no joke. Besides the fact that the main house basically subjugates the branch house, The training regime that the children undergo is borderline torture, but I suspect that I'm getting no remorse because I've been labeled a prodigy. The muscle memory needed to properly use Juken is freaking ridiculous, in the anime and manga they make it look easy, but trust me it is not. There is nothing easy about hitting a target the size of a small marble while its standing still, now imagine pulling that off in an actual fight. Because we'd had the Juken style taught to us so young, _burned _into our body, we were almost entirely cut off from any other Taijutsu style. It would conflict with our long honed muscle memory. It also explained why the Juken was such a refined style. We had no other choice. Our bodies, our bloodline over generations had literally _changed_ to better suit the style. But with The Gamer ability, this proved to be a small obstacle, which once again put me in even more elevated position within the clan. Oh, it also granted me a great passive skill.

* * *

You've acquired a new Skill!

**Juuken! (Passive) [Level: 1 (0.00%)]  
DEX increased by 5%  
INT increased by 5%  
WIS increased by 5%  
Ignore 5% of targets DEFENSE**

**Juuken requires natural flexibility and discipline in its users. Making extensive use of a 'flowing' style of attacks to 'softly' attack the opponent, while the user deals incredible amounts internal damage with their Chakra. **

**The users of Juuken deliver fatal and brutally punishing combos of attacks, enough to shatter bones, to break people upon their hands. To render all that would stand before them broken and shattered remains, both internally and externally.**

* * *

**1 year later**

* * *

Despite the common misconception, the Byakugan is not unlocked naturally in every member of the clan at certain age.

The 'ceremony' to unlock the Byakugan was a simple thing, so simple but _so effective._

I was placed within a sealed room, devoid of light and sound.

Simple right?

Untill you consider that a living being is being placed within, devoid of any contact with those outside. The only sound within is your own heart as it beats frantically. Yourself, as your hair moves back and forth across your clothes.

The only thing to distracted me from the devouring blackness were my own thoughts, and before long, even _they_ turned black. Devoured by the soundless room.

It was probably a mostly psychological thing too, and even though the Gamer's Mind should've prevented it, I grew cold. Every sound I gave off returned nothing. The sound, my own whimpers, until finally... I sat, and I wanted _out_. Even if it was to only _see_ the outside. And that was what made it so effective.

I wanted to **SEE** outside, and so I did. I imagine if it was not for The Gamer's Mind, I'd have gone temporarily insane.

I once again proved my talent when I undergone the same ceremony at the young age of 3.

* * *

You've acquired a new active skill!

**The Byakugan! (Active) [Level 1 (0.00%)]**

**Chakra cost: 5 per second.  
While Active:  
DEX is increased by 5%  
INT is increased by 5%  
WIS is increased by 5%**

**Range: 50 Meters **

**The Byakugan enable the user while active to see **_**everything**_** around them, within a certain rage. It allows the user to see with such clarity that they can perceive even the **_**chakra**_** systems of any living being within their sight.**

* * *

**Hiroshi's Room**

* * *

'Ah, the perks of being prodigy, your own personal room is only one of many.' I sat upon my bed, and decided to give something a try. 'Stats' I 'projected' in my own mind, and low and behold, my status sheet popped up. Spoiler: Stats  
'Well, I'm doing pretty good considering that I'm still only 3.' I closed the character screen and proceeded to project another thought 'Skills!' Spoiler: Skills  
"I only have 1 more years till I'm 4 before I'll be entered into the Academy, I need to get as strong as I can before then."

You see, the Third Shinobi World War is going strong right now, the age of acceptance into ninja academy was lowered to 5, but special cases were allowed to enter at 4. It was a commonly accepted fact that during the wartime curriculum, that most of the applicants would gradute within five years, when the non-wartime curriculum would last closer to seven or eight years.

"Hiroshi, the elders want to see you." Hizashi's stern voice broke into the room, crashing upon me with their importance.

"I'll be there in a minute Hizashi-oniisama." I answered, and hearing Hizashi's footsteps as they got progressively softer as the teen continued on with his day having finished playing messenger for the elders.

The things are bit awkward right now between me, Hizashi and Hiashi. With me being a poster child of the main family and a prodigy, Hizashi is not sure how to treat me due to his dislike of the main family. While Hiashi respects me for being a prodigy, I think he feels that his position as a heir to main house is being threatened by me. I continue to address them both as my brothers with utmost respect, but unless something changes soon, we will only be brothers in name.

As I entered the room, I was witness to the events playing out within, from my immediate right all the way around the room, in an Upside down U, the elders sat along the edges of the room. Sitting upon the center of the room however, my Grand Uncle, the **Clan Head** sat with his two sons on either side of him.

He motioned me to sit, and I did. Adopting the formally required sitting position.

"Hiroshi, it has come to our attention most recently that you have made _astounding_ strides in your mastery of both the Juken _and _the Byakugan." He paused here, something akin to wonder sparking in his eyes momentarily before he was again back to his normal, disciplined self. "It is the decision of every elder, that you are to start learning the special techniques of the Juken, effective immediately. It's our combined belief that you will, and are ready to use those techniques responsibly."

I raised my head, having bowed it in appreciation of what I was being given, "Thank you, Clan Head. _Grand Uncle._" I stand, rising fluidly from my sitting position, and bow at the waist. An honest and full bow before raising my head, my stance solid and unwavering.

"Thank you elders, for granting me such a privilege, thank you for trusting in me." I finished my statement with a small bow to show my sincerity. With the Hyuuga, sometimes it was not about the things you said but how sincere the things you said were and how you said them. Body language was indispensable and few knew body language better than Hyuuga.

The fiercely controlled smile he spotted on the some of the elders demonstrates that the past 3 years were not spent in vain. The pride glowing in his Grand Uncles eyes, and the small but sincere smiles on both Hiashi and Hizashi makes it more than worth it.


	3. Past Mistakes

**1 years later**

* * *

Not a year ago both Hiashi and Hizashi became heads of main and branch families respectively. After that everything changed, it wasn't immediate in the strictest sense of the term but glacial in the word. A small event, led to another to another to another until, eventually they weren't close at all. An excuse to not talk to one another, too busy they would say, one not noticing the other when a friendly wave was sent their way from across the yard, head down thinking of their responsibilities or other thoughts.

But most of all, they grew away from me, bad memories I assumed. I wish I had done something, _anything_ to halt it, but in the end I wasn't sure _what_ to do.

Soon after they became clan heads, they were given an ultimatum by the elders, either find a woman to wed or they would find one for them. The brothers chose to find their own, as was expected. Nobody wanted a marriage with nothing but cold shoulders and no love behind closed doors. Their weddings were nothing grandeur, simple, small affairs.

Holding tradition above most else. I took small solace in the fact that they obviously loved their wives, I could spot it in them, knowing them so well.

Hizashi's wife was a member of the branch family, she was an extremely beautiful, soft spoken woman and was much more approachable compared to others. If I had to sum her up in one word, it with I would class her as the very definition of Demure, if I didn't know for an absolute _fact_ that she wasn't shy at all.

Hiashi's wife was a member of his side of the family, she leaned more towards cute and dare I say it, 'cuddly'than the stereotypical depiction of beauty. She was a very warm, a kind person. She knew when to hold her ground and when to give. Hinata obviously took more after her mother in both looks and character, or at least will when she is born. This is of course, if I don't step in. I'm well aware I won't be able to fix everything, but damn if I wont try to 'fix' the problems close to home. In this case, _literally in my home._

I got along with both of them, and as a happy consequence, through their interaction with me eventually the two of them became very good friends to each other. Even though I got along with their wives, both Hiashi and Hizashi refused to interact with me more than necessary. Although again, it was less that they refused, and more something 'came up'. I saw through it after the third, and thinking back on it, the whole fool me once, twice, thrice saying fit perfectly. To say this upset me would be an understatement, but I saw no way to fix it, at least not with my current political status and being.

You see, all clans within the Konoha are very political, the Hyuga clan is not an exception, every action was judged and weighted. Temporary alliances were formed and broken not quite at the drop of a hat, but damn close. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Hyuga elders have their own political parties. There are conservatives, liberals, pacifists, radicals and warmongers just like any other government body. It also wouldn't be a stretch to say that each of them had their own agenda.

Now the common misunderstanding by outsiders of the Hyuga clan is that the branch family has no say in what decisions are made by elders of the main family. They do have a voice in what decision are made, can protest and they even had the power to veto some of them.

As they are members of the family, the elders were required by their very position within the clan to listen to their opinions, but just as any other political body they can and did find loopholes or even made their own loopholes as it suited them, or was needed. To understand what I'm talking about you need to know that elders are chosen from among the main family by other elders, so you can understand what kind of government body this makes. A very much, 'you scratch my back, I'll pull the lint out of your wrinkles.' deal. I may or may not have turned slightly green when I'd thought of that analogy.

Another common misconception that I admit to harboring is that the branch family is treated like trash, which is readily, and factually not true.

Now don't misunderstand, main family members do not treat branch family members as equals, but they on the flip-side do not go out of their way to make their lives hell. The mentality, I do believe that's rife with this is that, 'its not my problem', ideology had somehow taken root within the 'main family'. I respected the branch family, I _admired_ them for what their purpose was, but not what it is now. I... I don't pity them.

I knew, deep in my bones that any pity I held for them would be spat upon, they didn't want it and I wouldn't dishonor them with it either. They were quite and subtle with their pride, but what they did have pride in, they defend just as fiercely, if not more so than the main branch defended their honor.

I just couldn't help but feel sorry for the mockery it had become. Maybe, maybe one day I could change it?

The main family didn't have the power to use the brand as a threat, or even allude to doing so against the branch family. If word ever found its way back to the elders, and it would because both the Branch and Main house were utterly _strict_ with this rule. The abuser from the main family would be punished _harshly_, there had been instances in the past where someone from the main family that had been abusing their power over the Branch house was slapped with the seal themselves.

Being a history buff and having a newly lit curiosity for how the clan became divided like it was I went to the clan's library and found out.

In the past, during the era of warring clans, there was no division in the clan, they were simply the Hyuga clan. During those times, blood line theft was _unfortunately _a very common thing, capturing a member of a prominent clan to turn them into breeding stock was seen as practical and is still practiced to this day but is now seen as barbaric. _Not that it __**stopped **__anyone determined to see it through. _

A more recent and prominent example of this happened during the Second Shinobi World War, I'm talking about the destruction of Uzu and the Uzumaki's clan subsequent downfall. There is a reason why you see the famous red hair of the Uzumaki clan, _which is supposedly somewhat exclusive to them,_ all over the Naruto series. Most damming however, was that none of them recognized they had Uzumaki heritage, or if they did they hid it. Being the product of bloodline theft _wasn't_ something you broadcast.

Hyuga were no strangers to attempts on kidnapping them or their children, especially due to the fact that every single member of the clan inherits the famous Byakugan, the genes for it anyway. It was recessive in some, never awakening... I was struck by a thought, _what happened to them during the awakening ceremony?_To ensure the continued existence of the clan and protect its bloodline, several people **volunteered **to be branded by a newly designed **Bird** seal and be the protectors of the clan.

The Bird seal was designed to be activated by the sealed, or in other words a suicide switch in case they were captured or it was also set to be automatically activated in case of death. This way, a large amount of Hyuga can be out on a mission, without the danger of one of them being captured alive or their dead body scavenged for their eyes. The bird seal itself served two purposes, one was to utterly destroy the eyes, and the other was to destroy the brain. The Hyuga weren't stupid enough to leave such a valuable resource for their enemies to exploit at their leisure. Not like some other clans anyway.

But as time progressed and more people tried to steal Byakugan, further reinforced by the Hyuga's proving, time and time again that it was a force to be reckoned with. That in the end, the need for branded individuals rose while fewer and fewer people volunteered due to the fact that being sealed was simply too risky.

So an internal clan law was passed stating that every family's second born male child was to be branded and become part of the protectors of the clan. This position was to be inheritable, meaning that a child of a protector is destined to be sealed.

At first, being one of the protectors was both an honorable and respected position, but as time went on protectors were being treated as servants and bodyguards, instead of an extension of the family. They were slowly turned from family members to semi disposable human shields.

Protectors of the clan became dissatisfied with the role being foisted upon them while at the same time having their rights and privileges taken away, piecemeal by the 'main' family. They wanted it back, and they were prepared to fight for it, which led to tension and upset the Hyuga's internal structure. Eventually, one group of the more radical members of the family decided to change the structure, the functions of the Bird seal.

They turned a seal that was serving its purpose into something that was a twisted mockery, they turned a seal into a **brand.**

They changed it so that with a single hand seal, any member of the main family can cause brain searing agony or even death in the branded individuals, this seal eventually came to be called as **Caged** Bird seal.

With the protectors not knowing much about the seals, those that knew were hushed or sent on missions and 'died' under mysterious circumstances or sent on outright _suicide_ missions. The Protectors, they were easily tricked into accepting the new seals, all it took was the radical's spinning the new 'seal' as being "safer" option compared to the original one.

By the time protectors realized that they were tricked, it was too late, all of them were branded. Some of them tried to rebel out of desperate hope, hate and fury for being lied to, but it all it ended with was their deaths. Culled down by the drove while their adversary had _tea _and _laughed at the pain they caused with but a single hand-sign._

Many of the members of what eventually became known as main family strongly disagreed with what was done. The radicals who changed the seal were promptly executed, only every book I could find went into _much_ further detail over what was done with them. Hung, drawn and quartered was featured chief among them. Another technique employed back then was horrific, and justly deserved in your thoughts. They were **branded** themselves and summarily executed with it.

The cry from the protectors to have the seal changed back was sadly _ignored_ because the radicals had _destroyed_ all paper copies of the seal, and murdered anyone who was capable within the clan or reproducing it. The Hyuga' couldn't reach out to other clans for help either, as this was during the_warring clans era_. Even if they could've, they probably would not have. Their ranks would've been so thinned by the uprising of the protectors that they would be unable to trust any outside help.

As time went on, the hostilities between the two families became more intense, to distinguish and show their distaste for each other they started to call themselves main and branch families. Within the branch family today however, they still referred to themselves as Protectors.

Yes, members of main family are still branding branch family like cattle but during the clan era this was seen as a necessity and frankly is still necessity today. Just because Hyuga clan is now part of Konoha, does not mean that all the kidnapping attempts stopped, or even abated really. Their enemies just grew more subtle in their plots and attempts.

The Caged Bird seal is a cruel thing to do to your younger brothers and sisters, many even among branch family see it as necessity, but they still hate how they are treated by those they protect and how little voice they have in clan politics.

* * *

You've received a Quest!

**This isn't a seal, It's a brand!**

**Restore the Bird Seal's use over the Caged Bird Brand OR Create a better seal for everyone.  
Optional; Have everyone within the clan sealed with either the recovered Bird Seal, or the new seal so that kidnapping attempts are all for moot. After all, sealing is caring.**

**Rewards;  
Experience Points: ?  
Ryo: ?  
Items: ?**

* * *

I still remember staring at the box that appeared like a dullard. _Yeeaaahhh... Not anytime soon, that's for sure. But... it's a goal. Something I could be proud of having done... I want to do it. I will do it._

Being a prodigy earned me a lot of political clout, for a child my age that was. It also had allowed me the privilege to attend many meetings with the elders, as the discussed clan politics. I wasn't asked to contribute anything, and I rarely offered anything unless I was spoken too. I got the feeling that I was being shown the ropes for later on in life. From the murmured conversations and the special shine the elders had taken to me, I think I was a shoe-in for an elder later on in life. Provided I lived to the age of course.

Elders were a distinguished position _for a reason,_ you had to live through a ninja career and be recognized for either it, or something else.

Most of the meetings were regular reports about the financial standing of the clan, decisions made during shinobi council and what is happening with the war. Some meetings discussed the changes that are happening within the clan, what changes they want to make and many other things. They didn't cover anything _seriously_ important with me in the room, I was always excused from the meetings before they started covering that stuff.

During the last year I have improved by leaps and bounds, but not being able to go outside the walls of the clan compound was, and had hampered my growth quite a bit. Being confined to the compound I was only able to do a few quests, making new skills and increase my skill mastery and even then, only on subjects that I was expected to be studying. God, it was so restrictive, there was so much I could learn to do, or even create if I was allowed the time to myself to experiment but I was not _allowed_ that time, so it was moot point.

All those heavy things aside, it was time for me to attend shinobi academy. I felt a mild thrill shoot through me, it would be the first time I'd be _leaving_the compound for more than an hour. I wasn't quite sure how to feel about that.


	4. First Day

**Chapter 3**

* * *

I looked into the mirror and was barely able to stop myself from flinching. Even after all those years I'm still not used to looking into the mirror and seeing another's face, don't forget the freaky eyes.

I was dressed into a white kimono with a black belt sash, white tabi and two geta on my feet, they were the two tooth variants. I recognized them immediately honestly, who wouldn't. They were Jiraya's most commonly used footwear. Well, that's how I knew them at any rate.

My hair was set in a traditional Hyuga style. My black hair was combed back over my head and fell to around the lower half my middle back. I had two bangs framing my face, they alone in length fell to just below my shoulders. I had an aquiline nose and an average size mouth.

Now, I know you're wondering how my hair is that when I'm this young, I'm personally going to put it to good genes. In my personal, and completely unbiased opinion, _anyone_ would wish they had hair this good.

Combine it all together with my wide bambi looking eyes, I looked like any other Hyuga male, well maybe a bit more handsome but that's probably my completely unbiased opinion again, honest. My countenance was impassive and showed no emotion, as was expected of a prodigy of the Hyuga clan. Apparently, Hyuga's had a reputation to uphold, who knew.

"Hiroshi, are you ready?" Hizashi asked from behind the closed shoji door, the shadow he was casting depicted him with his head turned aside as if looking elsewhere.

"Yes, I'm ready Hizashi-oniisama." I replied as I slid the shoji door open, revealing that he still wasn't looking in my direction.

"Let's go." Said Hizashi without looking at me. I'm not sure when it started, but both Hisashi and Hizashi started to avoid eye contact with me. Again however, it had been slow at the start, a commotion over there, looking at where we were to be going instead of at me. Again, it was almost a mirror of how they grew apart, only with eye contact instead.

I would say we moved towards the gates slowly, but we really didn't. I wouldn't say we moved fast either, just around the middle, but it felt like forever. Especially because I was _finally_ being allowed to leave the compound!

"Hizashi-sama, Hiroshi-sama, have a safe journey!" both guards echoed in stereo, only one said Hizashi-sama, and the other said my name at the same time, they twitches playing on their lips. I could Hizashi's put upon sigh was audible to me, even at a distance of around a meter, and that was saying something.

"Hmm, we're going out." Was my stoic uncle's response to their attempt at getting a raise out of him. He turned his head from one to the other, I didn't hear what he said to them but I sure as hell heard their response, again in stereo… that was a thing with them apparently.

The one on the left began replying first, he was male, and thus dubbed guard Ichi, "That's _not-_" He was cut off as the other guard cut in, she was female, and thus dubbed guard Ni, "-_our name!"_ They looked rather mutinous actually.

A pity, my uncle was already walking off, and as I realized I was still standing there with a brow raised in astonishment. My uncle, the sternest person I knew, except for that one guy, who I forget the name of and I really should remember, had cracked a joke.

Beat.

I scrambled to catch up. I did it with dignified airs of course, reputation to uphold and all that jazz. You wouldn't catch a Hyuga _scrambling_ to do anything, thank you very much. Most certainly not me. Not after the chewing out I got last time I was acting my age. Bastards.

While we were heading towards the academy I was subtly looking around and remembering the way. Take a left after _that_ store, follow the street through three intersections and we were on a street that practically _bisected_ Konoha. I could see the Hokage's tower from here… That was simple, given the academy's location was _directly_ off from the Hokage's tower. Spinning on a dime, the main gate to Konoha sat behind me.

This was basically my first time going out of the compound, which is all kinds of sad and depressing. But elders insisted that I remain in the compound to prevent any attempted kidnappings or assassinations by the clan's enemies.

I personally believed however, that the nosy old codgers just wanted me to be worked to the bone, so they could get the most out of their 'Prodigy'. They also probably wanted me under supervision the whole time so that I wouldn't 'waste' my potential on trivial things like social interaction, or learning how to talk to people my age.

"Hiroshi, the elders expect nothing but the best from you, so make sure you don't disappoint them, don't bring shame to the clan."

"Understood." I replied. 'Politics.' I scoffed in my mind. "I'll make sure to be on my best behavior, wouldn't want the venerable elders to _do_ any work, would we Hizashi-oniisama, they might accidentally dislodge some of the dust that's accumulating on them."

There was a visible twitch in his demeanor as he attempt to strangle a chuckle with a cough. He failed miserably.

Many within the village already heard about me being a prodigy and probably have very high expectations. So if I do not live up or surpass those expectation, it will hurt the Hyuga clan's political clout. Preconceptions about me right out the door, I lay the blame for this squarely at the collective feet of the council of ancient fossils. Fucking assholes.

I shelved my current thought trains topic for later perusal, for when I was again feeling slightly vindictive of the council of codgers.

We stopped in front of the gate of the academy and silently parted our ways. While Hizashi went back to the clan's compound presumably, I went to the front of the academy to ask for directions to the office, I needed my class schedule and a map.

Usually there would be grand entrance ceremony for the new aspiring shinobi, but with the war going on nobody wants to waste time on such frivolous things so we got something else instead, a smaller and a much more unfeeling reception. The entrance ceremony was going to be inside a classroom, from what I'd managed to scrounge up through my meager information gathering skills.

It would consist of them handing out brochures and pamphlets explaining what was expected of us as Konoha shinobi. We would be expected to read them later when we got home, the classes started the second we had them.

The office was small really, more of a reception area for civilian parents to meet with the teachers or get the so called 'facts' on the process of becoming a shinobi. It also handled enrollments of their children, usually shortly after they the 'facts'.

I arrived at my class not even three minutes later. The academy was pretty bland on the architecture side. Much like a school building really.

'Oh, look who we have here.' I thought without showing any reaction on the outside as I stalked into the hallway, a thunderous cloud hovering over my head and my cheeks burning red. I already had them. **Fans.**

Fans, of the touchy feely 'I'm going to pinch your cheeks to make my point about you looking like a small child' and the 'I'm going to ruffle your hair violently while doing so', not to mention the, 'Whine and bitch over how lovely my hair is' variety.

I may have provoked the situation when I commented that her hair could use a good wash though. It wasn't on purpose though, and I'm entirely certain that's my unbiased opinion.

It was Hatake Kakashi, only chibi. His was younger, less defined and… well, more _cherubic _than his elder counterpart that we all know and love. He was dressed in a utilitarian black outfit with his _famous_ mask hiding his lower half of the face.

I was mildly incredulous, he _already_ had the mask? What, was he **_born _**with it on or something? He also had a green scarf with a dark, elegant green patterns on his neck. I simply stared at it dumbly, what? That scarf, did not suit him at all.

I silently gestured for him to go ahead and enter the classroom before me, which he responded to with an equally silent nod and opened the door, seems as though he had just agreed to lead the charge. So to speak that is. We both entered the classroom to the eyes. Oh god, the eyes. At least forty eye's stared at us, as though we alone held the secrets of the universe.

The instructor gestured with his hands to say we could seat ourselves anywhere, I had already however silently decided to follow Kakashi in this matter. He would at least be _interesting_. The eyes followed us however, and I revise my earlier statement. They didn't stare at us as though we held the secrets of the universe, it was just bored school children looking for a distraction. I was mildly disappointed.

I spotted a few familiar faces as we traversed the classroom to the back row window seats. Gai stood out as the most noticeable however, the clashing colours of his outfit and bowl cut the most noticeable, is what I want to say. But really, the caterpillars that had apparently made home above his eyes was the most noticeable thing.

There were a few other kids whose faces are not familiar, but there were very few kids overall. Probably due to the fact that a war is going on and all graduates are fully expected to participate. I was also wondering where the hell was Obito before I remembered that he was always late.

Moments after I had seated myself next to Kakashi one seat over the the window the instructor began.

"Good morning children. From this day forth you shall call me Jibei-sensei. Looks like we're missing one, but we're going to start anyway. " The bear of a man grumbled aloud, somehow managing to project his voice to every corner of the classroom. I personally had no idea a man could be that _hairy._

"Come up one by one and take those papers. Read them together with your guardians and tell them that those papers need to be signed. Those papers have everything you need to know about being academy student, from what things you need for classes to what is expected of you. I expect to see you all tomorrow at this time. That is all, have a good day." Jibei

To be completely frank, I expected some kind of speech or boring indoctrination to the will of the fire. However, what became apparent in the seconds or so as the teacher left through the door, was that in the wartime academy, they didn't care about it.

I mean, after all, who needed shinobi who would more than likely die within a month of leaving the academy properly brainwashed into loving the village.

When you could instead pump even more deadly knowledge and skills into them so that maybe, when they're dying they'll take down a few of Konoha's enemies huh. I approved of the pragmatic approach.

* * *

Title Acquired

**Academy Student**

**+25% proficiency gained towards the shinobi academy skills**

"**Congratulations, you are now a shinobi academy student."**

* * *

Title Acquired

**Title Acquired **

**Shinobi in Training**

**+50% stat gain**

**"Congratulations, you now a shinobi in training."**

* * *

I planned to milk this to its **hilt** and then a step further. I was going to **drain** the academy dry of every bonus, boost and possible skill.

I paused as I reviewed that thought, and added an addendum to it; _that no, that's not what I meant, get your mind out of the gutter_.

As the entire class was exiting the academy I finally saw Obito, he was looking kinda down. Probably because he was late on the first day of academy, which I can say is not a good idea. Being late or absent on the first day of anything is a guaranteed way to have a hard time getting to know your people, since cliques are usually formed and cemented on the first day. After they are formed, good luck getting into any of them, your best bet is finding someone similar or just being a really social person.

As we passed him however, I decided to throw him a bone. I silently called my inventory open and deposited the extra forms I'd gotten from the Office. Apparently, they thought I'd missed my class orientation and given me the set. I had gotten another set from the teacher just before, during class orientation.

I slapped the sheets of paper and pamphlets into his hands as we passed by, carefully pitching my voice so only he would hear it, "I don't want to be the only Hyuga in history to have won against an Uchiha because they were _tardy_ on the first day of school. **Dobe.**"

Kakashi and I continued on, leaving him stunned and gaping in the middle of the road. Kakashi didn't ask and I didn't offer. I could've sworn however that I heard the mutter of Teme on the wind as we left him behind.

Kakashi seemed to be sticking closer to me than the other students. I wondered why actually, I hadn't _done_ anything with him, besides nod my head at him and be in the same class together.

Ahh, actually that made sense. He was probably sticking with me because he felt more comfortable around me, I mean to the outside world I _was_ only four years of age, the same age as Kakashi.

As we reached an intersection, Kakashi gave me a slight nod, which I returned and we parted ways.

* * *

**Name: Hyuga Hiroshi**

**[Level: 8]  
HP-395  
CP-755  
STR 4 (9.6)  
VIT 5 (15.75)  
DEX 12 (32.16)  
INT 12 (22.16)  
WIS 12 (27.16)  
LUK 10 (11.5)**

**Points: 0**

**Money: $0**

**Physical Endurance (Passive)  
[Level: 12 (56.78%)]  
14% decrease in damage from physical attacks  
The body's durability increases and as a direct consequence, takes less damage from blunt force trauma.**

**Power Strike (Active)  
[Level: 8 (42.84%)]  
+64% critical hit chance  
+90% increase in damage  
Chakra cost: 25/cast  
Strikes the target with an amazingly heavy force. There's no way you'd be able to generate the force this skill puts out without the skill. May Require a weapon of some form, will inflict damage to user if not used with weapon.**

**Hand-to-Hand Mastery (Passive)  
[Level: 25 MAXED]  
Bare Handed attacks damage +250%  
Bare Handed attack speed +125%  
Bare Handed attack critical hit chance +75%  
Bare Handed attacks critical damage +175%  
Aftershock [Level 20]: Dealing damage with your bares hands to a living opponent causes the damage to apply itself again over 10 seconds.**

**Observe(Active)  
[Level: 15 (13.25%)]  
Let's you see details of things or beings around you, exactly as it says on the tin. Do you _really_ need a description?  
Level up abilities;  
[Level 5: Shows Title of person if Observed.]  
[Level 10: Shows Health and Chakra bars below title.]**

**Juuken! (Passive) [Level: 18 (24.58%)]  
DEX increased by 28%  
INT increased by 28%  
WIS increased by 28%  
Ignore 28% of target's DEFENSE  
Juuken requires natural flexibility and discipline in its users. Making extensive use of a 'flowing' style of attacks to 'softly' attack the opponent, while the user deals incredible amounts of internal damage with their Chakra. This allows masters of Juken to render all that would stand before them broken and shattered remains, both internally and externally.**

**The Byakugan! (Active) [Level 16 (5.96%)]  
Chakra cost: 5 per second.  
While Active:  
DEX is increased by 80%  
INT is increased by 80%  
WIS is increased by 80%  
Range: 300 Meters  
The Byakugan enable the user while active to see _everything_ around them, within a certain rage. It allows the user to see with such clarity that they can perceive even the _chakra_ systems of any living being within their sight.**

**Hakkesho Kaiten (Active) [Level: 12 (3.21%)]  
Chakra cost: 15/sec  
An amazing defense, the user release a constant stream of chakra from each and every one of their Tenketsu forming a dome of spinning chakra around them. "Turn aside all that seeks to assail you, twist around all that would harm you and let the enemy break themselves upon our defense. Let them grind themselves unto dust."**

**Hakke Rokujuyon Sho (Active) [Level: 12 (51.20%)]  
Chakra cost: 80  
This technique is a set of serially escalating strikes, each set more intense with double the strikes of the previous. Each set of strikes is done at an exponentially increasing pace and strength. The technique consists of 6 Steps. Beginning with 2 hits for step one. An enemy who takes this entire combo will have the status, 'CHAKRA STASIS' applied, their entire chakra system going into shock.**

**Hakke Kusho (Active) [Level: 12(1.75%)]  
Chakra cost: 15  
A simple gesture turn into a deadly technique. A simple palm thrust where the users compresses the air itself into a bullet and send sits careening off into their opponent when the delicate shell of chakra compressing it breaks releasing the compressed air and chakra.**

**"Hakke Kuhekisho [Level: 12 (11.25%)]  
Chakra cost: 20  
This technique creates a backlog of chakra in the users arms, the user will continuously 'shove' chakra into the arms in preparation for this technique, when ready they will release it all through their palms, either upon touching an opponent or without, to create a 'wall' of compressed chakra. A single bit of chakra not moving in synch with the rest can cause the entire arm to explode.**


	5. Decisions

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Today I had to find my way back to academy on my own, though a quick check with my Byakugan told me that several Hyuga shinobi were following me. Well, not really _following_ me, as I'm sure they wouldn't admit to it. I was quite aware of the answer I would get had I asked, probably something stupid. They just _happened_ to be in my general vicinity, most of the time or something along those lines. I had a few **_choice_** words to say about that quite honestly.

They also served to reassure me that they're there should something happen. Those rickety old Hyuga bastards are many things, incompetent is not one of them. Unfortunately, it would probably make my life easier if they were, but they weren't.

As for why the Hyuga was following me in the first place, well. They still had this fear that as soon as I left the compound everything was under watch. I think, that the council of fossils had somehow contract this stupid, this utterly absurd belief that every pebble on the side of the road was a bomb in disguise or something. I went nowhere without a guard unless it was the academy, in which case I went without a noticeable guard.

As I went through the academy gates I stopped. I felt like I was being watched, I turned around and saw a mop of black hair. There he was, Uchiha freaking Obito in all his glory, with a piece of paper and a sticky tape in hand.

I raised my eyebrow and _stared_ at him. I speak from experience here, when someone with completely white eyes is staring at you _it __**is **__**creepy. **_The benefits of being a Hyuga, I assure you. Well, one of them at least. Any stares or glares with the eyes is super effective vs. any type. Truly, a most fortuitous skill to have in the coming days I decided after mulling it over.

I'm going to assume that the face he makes is his attempt to smile at me awkwardly, I did the only thing that made sense to me really.

"**Dobe.**" I was already turning as the words left my lips, but not before I saw the _twitch_ that developed over his eye.

This time I heard his response rather audibly, "**Teme...**"

As a feeling popped into my awareness, I stopped to analyze it. I was feeling _pleased_ about the response, and I've no idea why.

I slowly walked into the classroom and took the same seat as yesterday. As I seated myself I drew twelve coins from my inventory, while doing so I reached into the flowing sleeves of my Kimono. I mean, at least that way It looked like I got them from somewhere, rather than thin air.

One in hand, I started a knuckle roll with the left hand. I figured that since I could get stats in the academy I was going to attempt to abuse the ever living shit out of it.

I continued rolling the coin, and adding a new coin in every seven complete 'rotations' within the coin. Then another seven rotations, another coin. I repeated this until I dropped a coin. Then I swapped hands, and started again. Rinse, Repeat. I hoped to eventually having five or more coins in each hand with them flowing like water.

Speed was key, and this seemed like a decent way to 'train' it. I mean, the stat _was_ called dexterity instead of agility so I figure this should work.

I had something resembling an 'Order of Priority' in how I wanted to attempt training. Dexterity, it took a clear precedence over all other comers due to the Hyuga's reliance on it. Intelligence next, this seemed to give me the most in terms of 'chakra' capacity, while Wisdom seemed to increase the regeneration rate of chakra. Strength and Vitality could be improved through training as a secondary deal.

Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom.

I spent maybe seven minutes simply alternating hands for dexterity training. The end result was something I had been _hoping_ for but wasn't really expecting to get.

*TRRRING*

* * *

**Stat Points Increased.**

**+1 Dexterity  
+2 Wisdom**

* * *

My fugue of practice was broken with Kakashi entered the room, looking rather frustrated. He seemed to survey the room subtly and when his eyes landed on me, his brow crinkled in confusion. I wonder why briefly before I realized I was still doing my coin trick.

A tinge of amusement flashed through me as I finished with a theatrical hand motion, all the coins simply disappeared up my sleeves, and thus back into my inventory.

Was that an eye roll? It was!

Kakashi hurried to sit down as the teacher walked into the classroom. He carried a small bag together with him, at a glance it was full of paper. The forms that students guardians were asked to sign.

"Hello children!" The bear of a man rumbled, taking his position behind the podium in front of the class.

"**_Hello sensei_**_!_" the class chorused back in a myriad of tones, pitches and volume.

"As you can see several of your classmates from yesterday did not show up today. The reason is because they're guardians decided that their child is not suited for shinobi life." Jibei stated, his countenance expressionless.

"There is no shame in that and it shouldn't be held against them. Not everyone has what it takes to become a Konoha shinobi." Jibei slowed his words as he deliberately turned his eyes to each and every student present. Resting on each and every student till they looked into his eyes before he would move to the next.

_He had to have timed it._ I decided as his speech ended the moment his eyes met that of the last student. Me.

"You've been probably told that you'll be living at the academy for the next week. If not, well, you know now. During this time we will go over your basics and testing how suited some of you are to the shinobi life. Do not be surprised if by the time the week is over more than half of your classmates will be gone. **I **would be surprised if more than half remained." Jinbei finished.

Some of the student's turn to the ones seated next to them, some tapped upon the desk in their attempt to dispel the nervous atmosphere that had settled on the room like a physical weight.

After giving everyone a moment to soak in what he had just said he proceeded to herd the class outside and into the academy's backyard and yes, I mean herd. The class was essentially a bunch of school aged _brats_. I felt mildly insulted that I was included in that mass of students as we were herded outside.

The field itself was rather bland, barring you know, what you would naturally expect from a well-used training field. There was grass everywhere for starters, Konoha liked its nature apparently. Several things stood out, _one of these things is not like the other_ I felt like cheering in my head as I looked around. The most obvious sore thumbs were a small obstacle course and a small sparring platform on the other side of the courtyard, opposite the obstacle course.

I don't think I was alone in the thought of, _that's a fucking deathtrap_ when I first laid eyes upon the 'obstacle' course. It looked like a sadistic and twisted tool of torture from the outside.

"Well kids, I hope you're prepared for the happiest **day **of your life. Today, we will do _all sorts o' fun things._" Jibei practically _sing-songed_! I almost immediately felt a shiver roll down my spine, the hair on my arms stood as though I had been the recipient of an electric shock. I do not like his tone, he's planning something, I can feel it.

"We will take a small run around the academy, it won't be much, just a few laps." That feeling from before? It got worse.

**AN ENTIRE FUCKING HOUR!**

**IS. NOT. A. FEW. LAPS!**

Is what I wanted to scream at the sensei when we finally came to a stop. I of course, as a Hyuga would not be caught dead uttering such vulgarity of course.

The students' collective collapse, a song of groans, moans and whimpers. I saw the way our sensei's mouth twitched at it. My eye twitched violently as I realized that the sounds had caused him to suppress a smile.

For the first time in my new life, I seriously considered murdering someone. He had just made us run for an hour, a whole freaking _hour_. No stops, no bathroom breaks, this guy was either very good or very bad at what he does.

Normally I wouldn't complain, the Hyuga instructors that I've had visit me in the past were _leagues_ worse. Better looking for one, but this was my first run in with any form of endurance running. I felt as though my legs would give out when we stopped, only now, not even thirty seconds since we'd stopped my aches and pains had disappeared.

_Sweet holy and merciful god, I love the Gamer's Body._

**_*TRRRINNG*_**

* * *

**Stat points Increased+2 VIT**

* * *

"Ah, that was a refreshing jog!" Jibei-sensei proclaimed, his tone jovial and well… refreshed? "So are you all tired now?" he finished, his smile practically_ghastly_ compared to his earlier smile. That bad feeling I was talking about earlier?

Yeah, it's back… only this time it brought its friends, and they're proceeding to jump me in a darkened alley. I was however, much too smart for such a simple ploy to snare me, but just because **I **was didn't mean the other students were. Sadly, I was not able to stop them in time.

"**Yes Jibei-sense!**" Seemed to be the general consensus of the class… perhaps a bad move as the smile on his face got even more _ghastly._ I swore right then and there, that if I ever saw a smile like that at night on someone's face, I'd run.

"Ahhh, it gladdens my heart to see young ones so energetic. Don't worry, we'll run another few laps to get rid of that excessive energy!" his words, they had the effect of a cold bucket of water being poured onto their spirits. Together the students shared a look, and you could _taste_ the dawning _horror_ of the students as the teacher started jogging again, at a noticeably faster pace.

"Well, what are you waiting for? An invitation?**Move it!** Anyone left behind will run for another hour!" Jibei hadn't even finished speaking before I was moving to keep up, matching pace. Well, Kakashi too, I amended as I spotted him in my peripheral vision. The other students were still back there, gaping like lifeless fish. I pitied them as it settled on them that if they didn't _move_ they would be doing this for another **hour.**

I turned my head back to them just as this realization hit. It was absolutely amazing how fast kids could move when you put threw a threat like _that_ at them.

I did however notice that four people didn't get up. Not for lack of trying, it's simply that they were _unable_ to do so. I simply turned back and continued jogging. I knew who our first four drop outs would be.

* * *

Character Sheet

**Name: Hyuga Hiroshi  
[Level: 8]  
HP-395  
CP-755  
STR 4 (9.6)  
VIT 7 (18.05)  
DEX 13 (33.59)  
INT 12 (22.16)  
WIS 14 (30.02)  
LUK 10 (11.5)**

**Points: 0**

**Money: $600 Ryo**

Physical Endurance (Passive)  
[Level: 12 (56.78%)]  
14% decrease in damage from physical attacks  
The body's durability increases and as a direct consequence, takes less damage from blunt force trauma.

Power Strike (Active)  
[Level: 8 (42.84%)]  
+64% critical hit chance  
+90% increase in damage  
Chakra cost: 25/cast  
Strikes the target with an amazingly heavy force. There's no way you'd be able to generate the force this skill puts out without the skill. May Require a weapon of some form, will inflict damage to user if not used with weapon.

Hand-to-Hand Mastery (Passive)  
[Level: 25 MAXED]  
Bare Handed attacks damage +250%  
Bare Handed attack speed +125%  
Bare Handed attack critical hit chance +75%  
Bare Handed attacks critical damage +175%  
Aftershock [Level 20]: Dealing damage with your bares hands to a living opponent causes the damage to apply itself again over 10 seconds.

Observe(Active)  
[Level: 16 (22.32%)]  
Let's you see details of things or beings around you, exactly as it says on the tin. Do you

_**really**_** need a description?  
Level up abilities;  
[Level 5: Shows Title of person if Observed.]  
[Level 10: Shows Health and Chakra bars below title.]**

**Juuken! (Passive) [Level: 18 (85.02%)]  
DEX increased by 28%  
INT increased by 28%  
WIS increased by 28%  
Ignore 28% of target's DEFENSE  
Juuken requires natural flexibility and discipline in its users. Making extensive use of a 'flowing' style of attacks to 'softly' attack the opponent, while the user deals incredible amounts of internal damage with their Chakra. This allows masters of Juken to render all that would stand before them broken and shattered remains, both internally and externally.**

The Byakugan! (Active) [Level 16 (34.62%)]  
Chakra cost: 5 per second.  
While Active:  
DEX is increased by 80%  
INT is increased by 80%  
WIS is increased by 80%  
Range: 300 Meters  
**The Byakugan enable the user while active to see _everything_ around them, within a certain rage. It allows the user to see with such clarity that they can perceive even the _chakra_ systems of any living being within their sight.**

Hakkesho Kaiten (Active) [Level: 12 (3.21%)]  
Chakra cost: 15/sec  
An amazing defense, the user release a constant stream of chakra from each and every one of their Tenketsu forming a dome of spinning chakra around them. "Turn aside all that seeks to assail you, twist around all that would harm you and let the enemy break themselves upon our defense. Let them grind themselves unto dust."

Hakke Rokujuyon Sho (Active) [Level: 12 (51.20%)]  
Chakra cost: 80  
This technique is a set of serially escalating strikes, each set more intense with double the strikes of the previous. Each set of strikes is done at an exponentially increasing pace and strength. The technique consists of 6 Steps. Beginning with 2 hits for step one. An enemy who takes this entire combo will have the status, 'CHAKRA STASIS' applied, their entire chakra system going into shock.

Hakke Kusho (Active) [Level: 12(1.75%)]  
Chakra cost: 15  
A simple gesture turn into a deadly technique. A simple palm thrust where the users compresses the air itself into a bullet and send sits careening off into their opponent when the delicate shell of chakra compressing it breaks releasing the compressed air and chakra.

"Hakke Kuhekisho [Level: 12 (11.25%)]  
Chakra cost: 20  
This technique creates a backlog of chakra in the users arms, the user will continuously 'shove' chakra into the arms in preparation for this technique, when ready they will release it all through their palms, either upon touching an opponent or without, to create a 'wall' of compressed chakra. A single bit of chakra not moving in synch with the rest can cause the entire arm to explode.


	6. Growing Up

**Chapter 5**

* * *

The following laps around the academy were both a sight too fast and torturously slow. I didn't feel the burn personally, well actually, _I did _but that was beside the point. When I stopped for about fifteen seconds of not doing anything to further aggravate the miniature injuries I was accumulating, just 'running' as I was the pain would fade.

Even sooner actually, sometimes it was _ridiculously_ hard to gauge how long 'fatigue' pain would last. I could make an educated guess however as to why it took differing times to fade. It was the level of 'activity' that was required to get me to the fatigued stage, 'Jogging' at a decent pace for around an hour plus was the most 'endurance' oriented physical training I'd done in well…. _ever._

The point being that I would be as fresh as a metaphorical daisy within at _most_ thirty seconds of stopping the exercise.

As we came to a halt a small distance from the entrance to the academy, I casted a discerning eye towards those that were running in the 'first' wave of students alongside me. Kakashi was huffing slightly, the _'__leisurely'_ run having been a small workout for him apparently.

I myself was slightly winded, well I was.

I almost _groaned_ in relief as the aches and pains were swept away, leaving me feeling as though I'd just woken up.

I think, I **honestly** think it bears repeating.

_Dear sweet, merciful god, I __**love **__The Gamer's Body._

I readjusted myself, shaking myself slightly as I moved from being slightly slouched and out of breath to looking as though I _hadn't _just been running for an hour and a half, give or take fifteen minutes.

It looked as though Kakashi himself was going to just sit down and rub at his legs, that simply wouldn't do I decided, feeling perhaps a touch mischievous.

I reached over and lightly slapped Kakashi's back, timed so that I hit him as he was breathing out instead of in. The rest of the air left him rather forcefully as he casted his suddenly baleful eyes at me. It'll also help in building future relations, giving the appearance that I'm looking out for his wellbeing will help me in the end, while make him more willing to listen to me in future. _That_ would probably mean a whole lot in the coming years.

"Might want to do some cool down stretches Kakashi, the aches won't set in as deep that way." I offered.

"I was _planning_ on it, you didn't need to hit me you know."

"Hit you? Why, I would never hit you. I think you're merely imagining things! Also, I refuse to accept that you were planning on doing cool down stretches, not with the way you were about to collapse into an undignified heap!"

"**Really?**" I personally didn't think it would've been possible for his response to have lacked any more emotion, the perfect deadpanned response I decided.

I ignored Kakashi, along with the appraising eyes of the Instructor, and the inquisitive eyes of the students whom had collapsed near us as I started a few stretches.

A few seconds later, I was in the middle of a jumping jack routine. Intermixed with what I had learned from the Hyuga as cooldown routines.

Kakashi himself grudgingly joined in after I finished the first three jacks I did. Apparently, he saw the benefit in doing so… or he just wanted to prove me wrong, I'd like to think he saw the benefit however.

Not that it would really help me, the stretches that is, but I knew for a fact that it'd help them. I think that much got through to them, that this was for their own good. Gai-san and his iconic spandex looked rather thoughtful as he hopped up from being seated on the ground to standing, in one fluid move too! I think he wanted to join in on our stretching, and I was proven right not even ten seconds later.

"Truly, a most wonderful Idea Hirsohi-san! I shall join you in these stretches!" He sounded rather tame compared to what I'd expected from him. I kind of expect it to be more verbose… louder and more in your face honestly. I think it suited him more than anything. He was, at the end of the day a _simple academy student._ For the time being that was.

Enough of the first wave of students also joined in on them too, the jumping jacks that is, that when the stragglers showed up, started the jumping jack's themselves. Apparently, they thought we had been ordered to do this by the instructor.

I didn't particularly blame them for that thought either. I mean, what do you do if you show up late to something and see a majority already there doing something, and the 'authority' on the scene is also making no moves to disrupt it? You join in of course.

I'd like to say that the entire cool down routine took around five minutes, but I think it may have dragged on longer as more and more students joined in on the impromptu cool down session and needed to be shown the routine again. Luckily, between Gai's apparently never ending wellspring of energy and my _limitless_ patience we managed.

As the last student hit the ground, the Instructor slapped the clipboard he was holding against his palm, gaining everyone's attention.

His countenance was set to 'Stern' apparently.

His voice **_boomed_**, easily penetrating the near dozing students bubbles of relaxation, making them very much aware that this wasn't the time for it.

**"****Form up! I want two lines, shortest in front tallest at the back!"**

I think, my ears may have started ringing slightly when he was done. I couldn't tell however over the rustling of clothes, of puffs and huffs as the students arranged themselves.

I was placed firmly at the front of one line, being _four_ years old had its advantages, and disadvantages actually. Kakashi was my twin in the other line, he too was placed at the front of the line. I'm guessing since the Instructor assigned me to one line, and Kakashi to the other that we wanted two lines that went from shortest to tallest.

The Instructor inspected our lines with eyes sharp enough to _cut_ before letting an agreeable grunt escaped him. He told us to wait and quickly jogged around the corner.

_But then again, it also has its __**disadvantages**__._ I sounded out in my head as the instructor returned. Only, he didn't just bring himself, oh no.

He had brought with him _two_ tree trunks. The trunks themselves were about half a meter thick but I couldn't be sure. I _did_ however know that both of them were the same length, which made both of them double the length of either line of students.

That horrible feeling I mentioned before when the Instructor started grinning his ghastly smile? It was back, only this time instead of mugging me in a dark alley, it had instead stuffed me in a burlap sack and was making off with me to places unknown.

The feeling further intensified when he lifted one log with each arm, a _bark_ of exertion leaving him in the process. He lifted them so they stood vertical, and explained our next task…

**"****Alright kiddies, **I've got two logs, you're in two lines. I want you to carry these logs _above_ your head as we head to the next training location only this feels too easy for such a spirited bunch of youngn's. When I call out left or right, I expect you lot to touch the log to your corresponding shoulder." He proclaimed happily, as though our suffering was amusing to him.

Jibei started a few stretches, standing between the logs. "Well, what're ya waiting for? An invitation? GET TO IT!"

For a moment, I briefly considered the chances of killing the man and getting away clean, before I dismissed the idea. I wouldn't be able to do it at my current skill level. Maybe later.

As it was however, I moved to grab the log, bracing myself so it would fall onto my left shoulder so I could use it as a brace. I turned my head to the right, enough so that I could see the rest of the line, more specifically the person behind me. I caught their eye, and I almost sighed when I noticed that they were locked in indecision.

I raised my voice as to be heard over to _groaning_ that was filling the air as the students realized what was expected of them, "**Alright**, I'm going to lower it slowly, **get ready!**"

I got a better grip on the log and slowly **pulled** it over to me while I **pushed** it upwards so I didn't get crushed… The log was _a __**lot**_ easier to lift than something that size should've been, I decided as the line of students teetered side to side.

I had to do it because I was incapable of lifting the log naturally, and considering that it felt _light_-ish to me instead of the stupidly heavy it should've been, I was of the firm opinion that some ninja magic, or bullshit was happening.

The reason I was of the firm opinion that **bullshit **was happening because I spotted the tiny and _almost_ hidden squiggly lines, and characters that flowed down the sides of the log. Sealing perhaps, it was suddenly chief among things that I needed to look up.

It took a few second for the line to stabilize its grip on the log, the log having grown several times heavier when everyone grabbed it during which I was seriously weighed down by it, enough so that my legs almost buckled from the weight. As a matter of fact, they did, _only slightly_.

In the end, it took almost fifteen seconds of stumbling and shambling before we had a solid grip and stance on the log. I looked over at Kakashi's side of the exercise and saw they'd done much the same thing, only it looked like a _considerable_ amount of weight was being put on Kakashi.

Kakashi's side looked considerably shakier compared to mine. Not that I didn't have an insubstantial amount of weight resting on me either, I just hid it better. I swear, the Hyuga instructors could _smell_ weakness.

I turned my head and I could've sworn my face bleached white, well whiter than it was normally. The instructor had already been walking in his leisurely pace for the entire time it took for us to get our footing with the logs.

… I briefly considered the ways I could make this man's life miserable as recompense for this, before I decided against it. At the end of the day, it would be better to gain the stats that I was no doubt going to gain from this than it would have been to NOT do this exercise and not get stats.

xxxxx

I collapsed behind my desk, heedless of the fact that The Gamer's Body was negating all the pain already, I didn't care.

Straight up, I was exhausted, no if's, but's or maybe's about it. I was _exhausted,_ both mentally and physically, or as much as I could be with my unique afflictions that was. Even that faded however, moments later when the Gamer's Body kicked in full swing.

I was left as fresh as a daisy in bloom again, amidst an **entire** class of mentally wrung out and physically exhausted kids. I couldn't find even a shred of pity for them however, not with how draining the day was.

Most days, time seems to just flow by in increments I didn't notice, lost in a haze of training, repetition and thought. While at the same time I was adjusting my body position, trying to think on the implications of it all. I never really noticed the time.

From the moment I was reborn minutes would pass as seconds, and days would pass as hours to me or at least they had. Today had felt more real, more elongated than any other I could recall in recent memory, seconds had dragged on as though they were minutes, and hours as though days.

My shadow however, stayed stubbornly correct throughout the day. It was stuck in the same length and position as any other day. Yet today, I could say without any compunctions, was the most exhaustive day I'd suffered through in a long, **long** time.

I was wrenched from my introspection as Kakashi sat down next to me… Well, saying he sat would be giving him too much credit. He collapsed into an ungainly heap next to me, the only saving grace in the action being that he didn't spill over onto me, somehow.

He simply sat like that, utterly exhausted for a few minutes before taking a massive breath and moving himself to some semblance of decency…. And by some semblance of decency, I mean he went from being sprawled out looking for all intents and purposes as though he had fallen asleep, to laying with his head down on his desk, cradling his head.

Not that I blamed him either.

As it was, I just reached out to gently push his shoulder, "What do you think we'll have tomorrow Kakashi."

An entirely too exhausted grunt made its way from Kakashi's throat to my ears, and I chuckled openly at him, Ignoring the shift in him as I laughed, quietly of course. It wouldn't do for me to attract the attention of the entire class after all.

The 'Log' walk as the class as collectively coined it, was one of the more _draining_ exercises today, but honestly it played second fiddle to the Kunai Range. I'm not ashamed to admit that I only scored in the top quarter of the class. Not the best, not the worst but I've got room to improve. I did get a neat skill from it so it's all good.

In my defense however, I wanted it to be known that this was the first time I had ever handled an actual Kunai. The Hyuga had focused solely on honing my Juken to above and beyond the normal, meaning the other areas of the Ninja Arts was actually below what was average.

Something I had serious plans to rectify immediately now that I had free time from the compound. Well, not _right now_ per se but after the initial testing week I suppose. I could skive off early and visit either the academy Library or the Konoha General Library.

An idea struck me actually, I hadn't yet 'eaten' a book in this world. Did I _have_ to 'eat' the book to learn the skill contained or could I actually read the book for it? I considered my options, I couldn't really _leave_ class to go check the library, maybe I would get a chance tomorrow, and the day was winding down currently.

The Kunai Range took up a considerable chunk of the afternoon when all was said and done. Having everyone in the class throw a hundred Kunai, then having the thrower go and _collect_ each and every one for the next person. It's entirely understandable that it took a while.

The fact that we had to break in the middle of it for lunch upon the rowdy demands of the class had nothing to do with it.

After that, we were then herded back into the academy proper and our classroom. All the instructors did was say we could rest and have some dinner when we got there.

He hadn't lied either, we were allowed dinner provided we had the foresight to bring food with us. I had that foresight thankfully, to that end I was happily enjoying a cold dinner that still tasted as good as it would've had it been hot. That was something I was practically gleeful for. The amount of food that I'd discovered so far in this life that tasted just as good cold as it did hot was mind-boggling.

They were also, more than likely specifically tailored for my age too, knowing the Hyuga as well as I did. Everything I could even feasibly need and then some. I have no idea how they managed to make it all taste as good as they did though.

I looked over at Kakashi and oh god, I almost _gagged._ He was eating those 'nutrient nut' bars that practically _every_ Shinobi oriented store sold. They… I had eaten one, _once._ I didn't like them at all, they were pretty much just melted cardboard slapped together with a healthy dose of some kind of 'tangy' tasting mixture, only it didn't 'tang', no it took a running nose dive off the nearest building and fell flat. They were called Condensed Meals and they were crimes against humanity.

"Condensed Meals" they called them, I called them **bullshit bars'.** Moral of the story, anything labelled as a 'Condensed Meal' tastes like nothing and has the texture of slightly moist shit.

I looked down at my 'dinner', I mentally calculated how much I had left and how I could stretch it, but in the end I came up with a better solution.

There was enough of my 'dinner' left over to serve as breakfast in the morning too, should I leave it but I _really_ didn't want to be eating this tomorrow morning either… I had a feeling that it would be a bad idea.

I had an idea.

A tap of the shoulder later and I had Kakashi's attention, "I'll trade the rest of this, enough for another meal for three of your '_Condensed Meals_'? You get a proper dinner and _I _get a proper breakfast."

Kakashi seemed to mull it over, a thoughtful frown pulling on his face. I could understand why honestly, here I was, someone with whom he had only interacted with a few times. None of them were remarkable in any way either.

But then, here I was offering him a considerably more filling dinner in exchange from some shitty pieces of soggy cardboard that they claimed as food. He acquiesced with a grunt, producing three 'Condensed Meals' from nowhere as I shuffled the rest of my meal over to his desk.

I grabbed them without effort, paying slight attention to the instructor as he droned on, his voice deliberately bland and unassuming. I knew what he was doing however, he was using a rather obscure technique. He made what he was saying seem as bland and useless as possible, but what he was telling us was _vital_ information.

He was briefing us on the local fauna and flora in the most nonchalant voice he could muster. I believe he must've been an Instructor for a _very_ long time, because it is very unnoticeable unless you pay special attention to it.

As it was, I grabbed some coins from my inventory, accompanying the action by reaching into my dirtied sleeves.

I really needed to clean my clothes, and I planned on doing so at the _first_ possible opportunity, but as I started rolling some coins in my hands I mentally went over my stat gains today, and a skill. Lucky me.

I counted the stats I had gained today, solely from the log running, Kunai throwing and the lecture that the Instructor was droning now.

* * *

**[Stat Point Increase] **

**+4 Strength**

**+2 Dexterity**

**+2 Endurance**

* * *

Not too bad for an afternoon's work I decided. I enjoyed the thought that I had gained Endurance from suffering through the current lecture, I enjoyed it_way_ more that I should've.


	7. Challenge

**Chapter 6**

* * *

The morning began without a complicated test, or much fanfare is what I want to say. I really, really want to say it but if I did I would being lying through my teeth.

The day had begun benignly enough, wake up eat the soggy cardboard meals that Kakashi had given me, and stretch a little as I looked around the room.

I suppose it bears specific mentioning that having Byakugan practically makes this portion of the entrance test easy as… I can't think of a suitable metaphor this early in the morning honestly. It was easy, let's just leave it at that. Why, you might ask? The reason is relatively simple, they tried to use illusion on a Hyuga with an unlocked Byakugan. Fun fact, illusions look like hazy and see through constructs to my eyes now. They just… don't stand up anymore.

There was a sheet on the wall beyond the illusion, in bold, colourful lettering it that as long as you stayed in the room you pass. Below that there was a,_much_ smaller set of text, that I honestly barely spotted after that eye catching display of typography.

It stated that you just had to leave the room to pass the 'test', what test? Apparently they had an illusion set on the room, who knew? I got up and went for the door but hesitated for a second. I looked around the room at my classmates and wondered if this was also a type of test I crushed that thought as soon as it entered my head and proceeded to exit the room.

There were arrows painted on the walls in the hall, which I followed and they eventually led me to a small clearing in the forest behind the academy. As I followed the signs to my destination, I could clearly hear the academy waking up, and general activity within the academy. I guess this was a lively place. Jibei was standing in the middle of the clearing, my destination again.

"Good, just as expected. You're to take one of these," Jibei pointed towards three bags "Inside of them are supplies which will be useful for the next trial. Lucky for you, you're the first person out of the class. We only managed to scrounge up three bags."

I nodded at him and walked towards the bags. Before I picked one I made sure to check their contents with Byakugan. All three of them had the same contents; a couple of kunai, a length of rope, a single and decently sized water flask. A compass and more of the abominations shinobi specialty shops dare to claim as food.

"What's our next part Jibei, sir?" I asked as I grabbed the bag on the top of the pile and slung it over my shoulder.

"Your next task is simple, you're to head into the forest, and survive for the week. Your classmates have until the end of the day to realize that they are in illusion before they are disqualified. Those who do pass will have to complete the same task as you. A word of warning, stealing from your fellow classmates is allowed but you cannot inflict any serious injuries." His voice took on a steely quality as he said the last part.

"Understood." I answered as I walked past him, deeper into the yearning abyss that was this forest.

This next exercise will be quite tough on me. I lived in a city my entire previous life, and in this one I was sheltered in a clan compound with servants to see to my every need. I have no experience whatsoever in survival of any kind with exception of a few snippets of documentaries I watched in said previous life. That really didn't translate well however, not when edible plants are few and far between and most of the other ones are poisonous. Ninja village, poisonous plants. Who would've guessed?

I was glad they handed out those bag to what I assume the first three people to break genjutsu because otherwise I would've been totally screwed. With the bag I now have a much higher chance to succeed… comfortably. I honestly believe that with the gamer's benefits I could've just stayed up for the damn week if needed.

With an entirely forlorn sigh, I activated my Byakugan and made for the nearest clearing that I could see.

* * *

Screw this exercise, I freaking hate nature. A few hours now I have been looking for a good spot to set up a small camp but I couldn't find one because all the good ones had mosquitoes all over them. If it wasn't for my Byakugan and compass I'm not sure I would've been able to find this spot, instead all they would've been able to find was my bloodless husk.

A body that had withered away under the not so gentle ministrations of the mosquitoes. I can imagine, Hyuga prodigy bit to death by mosquitoes,**Hahahaha**, I would pay to see the look on the faces of those old farts. No really, it's funny, tell me another joke.

But honestly I wasn't worried for a moment and it wasn't just because I had Gamer's Mind, the moment I left the clearing with Jibei I've been followed. Probably a chunin instructor that was assigned to keep an eye on my, most likely just one among many that were tasked with keeping eye on students during this test.

By now several other students should have passed the illusion part of the test and entered the forest... _probably_. Kakashi is one of them, of that I have no doubt. I weighed the pros and cons of trying to find him. On one hand, he probably know how to survive in the wilderness unlike me.

On the other hand I'm not sure he'll agree to team up and I'm not comfortable leaving what stuff I have here. The pack would've been too heavy for me to take with me if I was specifically scouting for a _person_. I would have to leave it here, and I _really_ didn't want to.

I just hoped I didn't end up with the sudden urge to forgo speaking for grunting and start painting on the cave walls. I'd make a terrible caveman, just look at this skin tone. Beside the point, you know what they say about wandering cavemen. Meanderthals.

The solution turned out to be relatively simple. When I decided to go out and find Kakashi I stashed my belongings at the back of my cave, and activated my Byakugan as I reached the caves mouth to try to see if he is nearby. Surprise, surprise, he was, in fact, he was heading my way. So I did what anyone else would do in my position, I played it cool. I sat down at the entrance of the cave and waited for him to arrive.

While he took his sweet time arriving, I surveyed the quote on quote entrance to my cave again, a small stream was cutting its way through the forest to the left of the cave entrance. Trees dotted the immediate area in front of my cave, and there was a general change in the landscape too, forming a mound before the entrance itself. All in all, the cave was fairly well hidden, atop of that, I had all I needed to survive for the week I'd been told to do.

I had fresh water, food and well… I'm not gonna call it _comfort_ by any stretch of the word, but I had a place to keep the rain off my back.

Kakashi didn't disappoint and arrived within two minutes. He looked mildly surprised when he saw me, so he probably _wasn't_ looking for me, somehow I feel a bit disappointed. He had a bag with him, seems like he was one of the top three.

A sigh was the only sound that came from him before he turned around, probably wanting to search for another spot.

"Kakashi, hold up a sec." I began with some haste before he could leave, "You want to team up?"

"What?" He asked with his brows furrowed, as if he didn't hear me or couldn't comprehend the question. His face, or what was visible was rather expressive.

"I asked, do you want to team up?" Whatever, I'll humor him.

Before he could answer my question we heard a sound from a nearby bush. I was turned around and fluidly settling into a stance of the Juken, my byakugan already on in less than half a second. It took the _full_ second for my mind to comprehend what the eyes were seeing. I saw what was in the bushes and what Kakashi was doing, before I could warn him he had thrown a kunai.

My warning that it was a student left my lips _after_ he had thrown the kunai. Better late than never?

We both rushed to the bush and peeked inside. While I wasn't surprised by what was inside, Kakashi most certainly was, probably at missing his target if what I knew about him at this age was any indicator. What was inside you ask? Allow me to answer this question with another question, or in this case the correct question; Who was inside the bush? The answer? Obito freaking Uchiha and to say he didn't look comfortable with the kunai landing so close to his crotch judging by his horrified expression was a god damned **understatement. **Literally.


	8. Aim Higher

**Chapter 7**

* * *

**AN: **

**After me and **** The Uninspired**** talked it over we decided we're going to play fast and loose with the stats. We decided to do this so that hard numbers do not get in the way of the narrative.**

* * *

You know what, I take back every bad thing I ever said about chunin in Naruto, chunin are awesome. Kakashi had right then almost killed canon before it even started and the chunin that was following our team was able to deflect it.

I would have suspected Kakashi's aim being faulty had I not seen the chunin act with my Byakugan. I believe it bears repeating, chunin are freaking awesome. So instead of Obito having a kunai lodged in his head, he's only slightly traumatized. _Slightly, yeah right. Mildly would be more apt I believe._

I looked over Obito, sitting still as a statue as though the thought of moving was anathema to him. I turned my head to Kakashi, "You should've aimed higher."

Kakashi cocked his head slightly, before giving a taciturn nod, ah it seems he agrees with me!

By the shiver that ran through Obito and his widening eyes, I got a **strong** feeling that he didn't agree with that statement at all.

"W-w-wh-what the hell? You almost killed me!" Obit exclaimed as he pointed at Kakashi. He then rounded on me, pointing his other finger at me. He failed to produce any coherent words however, sort of having a mental breakdown and pointing his fingers between me and Kakashi.

He looked kinda like those glowly baton wavers at an airport. You know those guys with glowing sticks that waved them back and forth directing plains, an aircraft marshall I think it's called. He looked remarkable like one of those.

"Hmph, it's your own fault for making noise and startling us." Responded Kakashi after he recovered his composure from having a finger shoved into his face. I heard something different however, I heard, "it's your own fault for not dodging moron." I think that may have been heavily implied and I'm being dense buut, it fits with what I know of Kakashi.

"Kakashi, kun-ai ask you a question?" I asked as I dislodged the kunai just in case Obito jerks and hurts himself by accident. I still need him to be a hormonal teenager when canon comes around. I felt several gazes on me, I looked up and saw Kakashi and Obito stare at me with incredulous expressions, **disbelief** didn't even _begin_ to describe the look on their faces.

It was a perfectly valid pun as far as I'm concerned.

"What? Too soon?" Nah, there is no such thing as _bad_ time for a _good_ pun. Kakashi looked as though everything he thought was true in the world was a lie and that gravity was a polite suggestion. He also looked mildly uncomfortable.

"Well, I don't know about you two, but personally I thought it was rather **phunny.**" Was that a groan I heard?

"Screw you guys! I'm outta here!" Obito squawked as he scrambled to get up. Hey would you look at that, my guess was correct. He **didn't** like having a Kunai between his legs.

"Mah, mah, Obito, calm down. I was just trying to lighten up the atmosphere. I do admit that it was in slightly poor taste." A spin of the kunai I had pilfered from between Obito's legs so that I was holding it's blade I lobbed it back to Kakashi angling it so the handle flew first. A second later it made a small but audible thunk as his hand connected with the handle. It was swiftly deposited in his pouch.

"Yeah, well you wouldn't be telling jokes if it's you who almost got killed." Obito angrily pointed at me. Again. Was he angry at my dismissive attitude towards him almost losing his balls? Probably.

"Technically, you wouldn't have died; you would've been down a head." The look Obito shot me in response was appropriately unimpressed. He also seemed to turn faintly green for a second.

"Though yeah, you're probably right." I replied absently, my hand moving to nestle against my chin.

"Anyway," I said, waving my other hand to accentuate the word, "Obito, whatcha doing here?"

"Don't ignore what just happened!" He **_shrieked._** Hands shooting up into the air as though protesting the unfairness of the world. "Ahhhh, whatever, I don't have time to deal with a crazy Hyuga. I've been here before and wanted to set up camp around the cave but you two beat me to it." Obito responded with a keen enthusiasm that died just as swiftly as his hopes and dreams when he found out that he was beaten to his camping spot.

"I see, I guess it's your lucky day Uchiha. Kakashi was asking me to team up-"

"You're the one who wanted to team up." Interrupted Kakashi. I paused mid speech and turned to give him a **look**, "Shush." Interruptions dealt with, I continued on as though nothing had happened.

"And I guess I simply don't have it in my magnanimous heart to leave you to starve alone in those woods. Instead we can all starve together! Isn't that just a **grand idea!?**" I finished my impromptu speech with a theatrical flourish. Well, it was more than a speech, probably some unholy combination of a question and defining how events will follow this statement thing. I dunno.

Once again two pairs of incredulous eyes were looking at me as if I'm the crazy one, which I won't deny a small part of me probably was. They proceeded to slowly turn around, in an entirely pathetic attempt to flee from my awe inspiring presence.

I however, was much too fast for them and before they had managed a half revolution. My arms happily wrapping around their shoulders until I was hanging from the both of them. Obito was a little taller than Kakashi, so I was on a slight but noticeable slant.

I had little to no doubt that one of the two knew how to forage and survive in the wilderness, and as the Council of Alzheimer's Anonymous cared more about their art than my basics, I didn't know how to survive in the wilds without prepared survival equipment. An oversight that would either be corrected on my own time or in the academy.

"We're gonna have so much fun together, I can see it now! Frolicking throughout the fields, having stew for dinner, murdering the local wild-life, running for our lives from hordes of killer mosquitoes." I paused and let out a faux blissful sigh, "Oh yes, we're going to have **so much fun together.**"

I hadn't noticed it, but my face had been split by a truly terrifying, and vicious smile. Kakashi and Obito had grown a few shades lighter too. That probably had nothing to do with my smile though, I'm sure. Yeah.


	9. Nutcracker

**Chapter 8**

* * *

I spent a few more minutes happily dangling from Kakashi and Obito before I got off them.

A sigh split the considerably less tense atmosphere of the small clearing. My sigh. As much as I wanted to play it all up and have a ball doing so, I honestly need to set some direction for our rag tag group or we would splinter within the day.

We wouldn't operate as a group well enough to do a combined search for food, but we each had our own individual skills, I had my Byakugan, Kakashi had his nose… or he might. I was unaware as to whether he had his canine enhancements this early on and Obito, well I refused to believe that he was useless.

As much as I would tease him over it, he had his uses too. Nobody passed the ninja academy without being competent in at least **something.**

And he did mention being out here before, so I supposed he knew his way around the forest. Plan decided then.

A clap of my hands broke the two from their commiserating looks and brought their attention squarely onto me. "Alright, I've got it. We have no food, but we have water and shelter."

A shake of my head lets them know what I think of this situation, "Let's go over what we need to get done before sunset, otherwise we're doomed. I wasn't kidding earlier when I said running from packs of killer mosquitoes, I saw a husk of a dog earlier. Completely drained of blood!"

I figure it better to **not** mention that I saw a corpse, they were on edge enough already without me reinforcing that this challenge is **deadly**. Not that it really was, I imagine that the chunins tasked with watching us would lose their hides should any student die.

I rolled my shoulders and decided to get on with it. A few swift strikes with my hand and I had successfully removed a decent sized tuft of grass. I grabbed a branch from the tree next to us, and started drawing in the clearing I'd made. Three X's denoting us, and a small triangle for the cave. I drew two meandering lines next to each other to simulate the river. A crude but workable approximation of the area... basically it was a shitty map.

"Right, I don't know if I've thought of it all, but I'll need some input, Kakashi, Obito." I used the stick to point at the three X's I'd drawn. "This is us," I point to the triangle, "This is the cave, and this," I point to the lines, "Is the river. I have no idea what orientation this is set as so let's just work with it."

The crunch of grass was followed quietly by Kakashi and Obito coming closer, Obito practically collapsing down next to my impromptu clearing, and Kakashi slouching against a nearby tree. I guess Obito was still **out** of it, what with his coming 'this' close to losing his bait and tackle. I mentally slapped myself, better get on with it.

"Right, I've never been out into the forests, the clan likes to keep a strict eye on me, but I've learned what I can. Either of you feel free to add in with anything you think we'll need."

A few strikes later and I had another tuft of grass removed and more flat ground to work with, I wrote food at the top, underlining it twice, "We're going to need food or we'll starve. I do know that we can use upwards of three times as much energy out here without proper preparation, so food. We're going to need it **soon** or we'll start getting grumpy and growly with each other. The last thing we need is me eating you two for dinner, I'd gain so much weight my slim waist can't handle that." I made sure to finish that statement with a creepy cackle. Obito did his awkward laugh and Kakashi deadpanned at me. Those two think I won't do it, we'll see if that's true when we find no food.

Protection was inscribed into the dirt next, "When I got the bag for being the first out of the academy, Jibei said that it was _accepted_ to attack your fellow testees and that it was a **valid** option. Meaning, that essentially the entire forest is out to make us fail."

Points of Interest joined Protection and Food on the dirt, "We need to know what's around us in the immediate sense, are we next to an animal nest or hive? Anything dangerous or attention grabbing?"

Obito opened his mouth here actually, looking mildly surprised, "No, no we're not actually. This place is kinda towards the back of this section of forestation. I mentioned earlier that I'd come here before right? This place is pretty well hidden, that river there. "He pointed towards my previous diagram which housed the crude depiction of our location, he held his hand out to me for the stick. I surrendered it with no complaint.

He explained as he drew more lines connecting to my river, he was obvious less dexterous with the stick than I was as his drawings were short, choppy and badly indented compared to mine, but still easily visible and distinct, "The stream actually spirals around once it goes past the cave, so really we only have two directions to look out for. This way, and this way."

He punctuated his statements by drawing arrows facing the two directions that were 'vulnerable'. The river now kinda looked like an upside down L covering the back and left side of the cave. "As for points of interest, I haven't really _scouted_ this area before, but I do know that there's a natural spring over here," he drew a square behind the cave and over the river, or stream as he called it.

"And there's this **absolutely huge** tree I remember seeing once, over here." Another mark joined the dirt map, his time to the right of the cave and down. This one was a circle.

"Goes without saying however, that the rest of this area is forestland." This was denoted by a heap of squiggles appearing over the clear areas of the map. "This is the only **real** clearing in at least three hundred odd meters, the rest that could even be called clearings are full of junk, fallen down trees and shrubs, the usual."

He paused here, a suspiciously long pause, he was probably debating on whether or not to mention something, a terrible habit for shinobi to have actually, his lies and deceptions should be fluid not… this. "Yeah, I suppose there's another thing too, I'm not sure how relevant it'll be but there's a logging camp super far into the forest area. Like, super far. We won't find it unless we spend like two or three days heading that way."

I nab the stick when he points it into the air with his hands while he's accentuating his point, we get it Obito, its super far away. Sheesh, who even says_super_ I mean really.

"Right, thank you for that, **it really helps.**" I begin, quickly producing a piece of paper from my sleeves, again through my inventory. God-damn it was useful. My pencil scribbles out in astonishing speed, creating what is more than likely an even **cruder** version of what's on the ground. I smear what's on the ground with my foot when I'm done.

I do not miss the confused looks on their faces when they look at my sleeve and then back to the pencil I have in my hand, suckers.

"Right, that leaves food, we're in desperate need of it. We're better off than anyone else, Kakashi and I got one of the 'first three' bags each, so we have six of those condensed meals between the three of us. That should, if we seriously stretch it last us three days." Obito and I shivered in silence, Kakashi looked as though there was nothing wrong with it. Thank you, but no thank you. I'd avoid eating slightly moist shit if I could avoid it.

"Water from the stream should be fresh, we can boil it if we want to be on the safe side but yeah, summing it all up we're in a decent position, but in dire need of _real_ food. You two agree?" I got an agreeable grunt from Kakashi and a drawn out Ayuup' from Obito.

"How do we wanna go about getting food then guys? We can split up and do it, reconvene here in thirty minutes, an hour?" Two nods followed the statement, "Alternatively, we could go out in search for food as a group, that way we can all keep an eye on each other and bicker together!"

Two hasty head shakes followed, I have no idea why.

Plans were set in motion with the common goal that we meet back at the cave in forty five minutes. Kakashi left first, following his nose. Obito second after he went back to the cave and used a compass to determine directions, and me well. I just followed my eyes.

* * *

Quest Acquired!

**Gathering Food**

**You and your companions have agreed to go searching for food, follow your nose little one, and bring food back to the den.**

**Food Items Acquired [0/25]**

**Reward for Completion;**

**250 Experience.**

**75 Ryo.**

* * *

XXxxXXxxXX

I sighed again, staring at the flower sitting innocently before me. It looked kinda like a daisy, only on drugs. I stared at it some more, honestly, I was done with this goddamn adventure. Done, had my fill. Mom, I want to go home now.

I stared some more as a spider crawled from one of the many putrid pustules that covered is stalk, reflexively observing it as I'd swiftly gotten into the habit of doing. [Observe]'s level had taken a sharp rise during my stay in the forest from sheer necessity.

It might not tell me much, but it **did** tell me if the plant was poisonous. Which was a godsend honestly. Who knew that the prettiest of flowers could be a mild sedative? Not me, I would've happily grabbed it as a keepsake and ended up asleep on the ground less than ten minutes later.

But back to the spider, it had a health bar when I'd observed it. Heh, that reminded me, I can now say officially that '**My spiders have health bars!**' And in the same breath say that I don't live in Australia. Neat.

I actually shook my head then, I was getting off track.

Another scan with my Byakugan revealed no worthwhile food source in my local area. Sure there were birds and grubs, but I didn't fancy eating them if I didn't have to. I doubted I could even catch the birds honestly. Even if I could, I'd probably spend more energy trying to get them, but it did raise a question. Did I even need to eat anymore?

The river, and I **refused** to call it a stream after I had seen it firsthand cut through the forest like a knife roughly thirty meters to my left, so fishing or foraging near the water wasn't an option.

I didn't actually know what I wanted to do currently, I had a bunch of foraged flora in my inventory already. Enough to feed our group for at **least** a day, but I had little to no doubt that they would want to eat _only_ it. I'd found a variety of berries and nuts too, harsh scrutiny with my Byakugan and Observe proved _really_ useful here.

My feet landed on a hollowed log giving me a decent view of the river. If I had to guess, I'd say it was close to thirty, even fifty meters across at its shallowest and widest respectively.

Obito had called this a **stream.** I think he might be more insane than me. Not to mention, a good idea to come here in the first place as I spotted a decently sized infant Onbaa. I turned on a dime and jumped back into the forest. Nope.

I **did not** want to deal with the shit that would inevitably followed had I killed it for food. Obito didn't mention it, so I figure either he deliberately didn't mention, _or_ it's a recent addition to the forests ecosystem.

Lovely, _just _**_lovely._**

This time I did sigh as my feet took me on a meandering path back to the cave. It was about time we regrouped anyway. Unfortunately. Because my directional skills **sucked** I'd been forced to stay within viewing distance of the cave at all times, else I'd get lost.

I started mumbling on my way back, I didn't mind the ambiance of the forest but I wanted something more known than it so I started humming and mumbling a song I'd listened to in my previous life.

"For eight hundred years we fought you without fear, and we'll fight you for eight hundred more."

XXxxXXxxXX

On the way back, paid special attention to grabbing enough detritus to cover the cave entrance. I didn't want any water getting in should it rain. I know I'd said that food was top priority, but I'd realized on the way back that the amount of food I'd grabbed was enough. The cave, and actual survival would be top priority now.

I arrived back earlier than the other two so I went about covering the cave and storing my catch. The flora was wrapped in a huge leaf, the closest comparison I could think of would be a Banana leaf.

That was bundled up and stuffed in a corner, not that the cave really _had_ a corner. The rest was dumped on the floor as I started stitching together a curtain to hang over the cave entrance with twine and leaves.

Honestly, they make it look so much easier on T.V, but when it's _your_ hide on the line and you've had to go and personally gather all the materials, well. It's considerably more difficulty, not even difficult actually just time consuming, but if time was a valued commodity well. You're screwed.

I was kinda glad when Obito arrived at the cave a few minutes later. His arrival heralded the end to my isolation in the cave _and_ the halfway point of the curtain.

As he popped his head in, he saw me with what I was making and did a double take. I don't think it computed in his head actually, me sitting down on the cave floor stitching together something that could honestly double over as a blanket. I imagine that it wouldn't compute with most of Konoha's population.

The Hyuga had a very 'serious' public attitude, and I had no doubt that should my actions here make it back to the Hyuga I would probably be given**extra** lessons in decorum and public appearance. Urgh.

Obito had pulled his head from his thinking place and joined me in the cave, and I got to see what he had brought back.

**More than me,** and **I** was using my inventory to cheat. That's _really_ impressive. He had actually fashioned himself a few carry packages too, using the same leaf that I was using. He was being silent, which didn't really mesh with what I knew of him, I decided to break the ice. "You got more than me, that's for sure. What did you actually bring back though?"

He seemed startled that I was speaking actually, had I really been that bad? Or was he just surprised that I was taking my own initiative in communicating with him?

"Whua? Oh, right. Err yeah, I actually got a decent amount, less that I was expecting however. There was no game around to hunt down so I didn't find us anything in the way of meat." He actually seemed upset at that, I wonder why.

"My previous stashes had been cleaned out too. I told you guys I'd been here before yeah? Well, I'd made a few stashes around in case I had to come back out here eventually, and they had been cleaned out!" Oh, that would explain why I suppose.

He was actually starting to rant about it… This was different from what I knew of him, but really I suppose what **did** I know about the characters of the Naruto world? I knew their drawn counterparts that lived on paper, the versions of them that were brought to life with ink and paper.

I suppose this was a _very_ good reason to not assume I knew things, I would need to double and even triple check my information I guess. Annoying, I couldn't trust my prescient knowledge then… or was this a butterfly? Had his few interactions with me caused this?

"Ahem, err Obito. I know you're upset about your stashes being cleared out, but that doesn't help us here and **now.** What did you bring back?" Best to get him back on track I suppose. We can all vent later on around some fire I suppose. He paused at my interruption before his cheeks colored slightly. I put another leaf onto the curtain and stitched it.

"Right, I grabbed a bunch of the edible plants, they should tide us over. I also got us a heap of berries, more for variety and flavor than anything. No matter how hungry you are, eating the same thing, no matter how nutritious will turn you off it." Smart, and I could agree with the sentiment in their cases. I could eat anything forever and be okay. Gamer's mind and Body were bullshit.

Obito's hand searched around his waist for a few seconds before pulling a leafy bag from it, "Here, I got us a heap of nuts too. More variety and these and so delicious!" Heh, a bag of nuts. I could go somewhere with that, but I won't. Get your mind out of the gutter.

He tossed it to me, and with the nonexistent hand that wasn't bracing the curtain or stitching I caught it.

Please note, Nonexistent. The bag of nuts slapped me in the face.

As it slid down my face, I sent Obito a glare that would have frozen **Lava.**

By the way he had frozen, it seemed he realized his mistake. I would get him back for this, in my own subtle way. I **stared** at him as my hands continued working on the curtain. I** Stared and Stared**.

**And Stared….**

Kakashi arrived five minutes later. Obito wasted _literally _no time in jumping behind him to escape my stare. I'd greatly enjoyed watching him devolve into a twitching wreck during those five minutes. Kakashi just stood there, confused and inexplicably mortified.

Well he was when I opened my mouth, "He threw his nuts at my face."Ohh yeah, the mortification is there now.

I held up the little sack of assorted nuts, "See right here."

Obito popped his head back into view from his hiding place behind Kakashi, "No I didn't!"

**Stare**

"Eeep!" And he was back _behind _Kakashi again. Did he just eep?

"**You're both nuts.**" Ohh, Kakashi has joined the fight!

"Well, that's pretty much my life in a nutshell." ***Slap*** Did Kakashi just face palm?

"God save me from punny Hyuuga's."

I turned my eyes from where Obito had been to Kakashi again, and he seemed to be in the middle of questioning all his life choices. I didn't particularly blame him either.

I finished the last stitch and a blue window popped up. I wasn't sure if I was happy about it or not.

* * *

Skill Acquired!

**Crafting**

The act of creating items from anything lying around. Humanity advanced its position on earth through ingenuity and inventions, you too can do the same. Any item you craft will be stored as a blueprint so you can make it instantly later should you have the materials on hand.

**Crafted Items are 25% more effective.**

**Crafted Items gain 75% more durability.**

**Crafted Items gain +1 Activation.  
Crafting quality is increased by 50%**

* * *

XXxxXXxxXX

A multitude of small and insignificant snaps followed my passing throughout the forest, it was dusk currently, verging on night. The shadows themselves seemed to roil as I fluidly tore through this area, my arms nearly invisible as I grabbed the tinder we would need for a stealth fire.

Another slightly louder snap followed as I broke a twig that was a little on the thick side. Kakashi and Obito were back at the cave hashing out how to hang the curtain and debating on whether or not we would need a fire.

Kakashi was of the opinion that no, we didn't need a fire and Obito was staunchly opposite arguing that it would be necessary to keep us warm, give us light and to cook the food he'd gathered. Kakashi had retorted that the smoke would harm us just as much if not more than the arguable benefits we would gain from lighting the fire. Obito was arguing with a glass half full, Kakashi was arguing for a glass half empty.

I was of the opinion that regardless of which side won the argument, _having_ it would be good.

Specifically, I was actually gathering small sticks, small and _really_ dry twigs even. I remember a method for making a smokeless fire, a stealth fire. It should be known here, I mean there are **professional**_** ninja **_in this world, there's absolutely no way they wouldn't have figured out how to make fires smokeless.

*Snap* Last one! Wohoo! Well, not according to my quest that is. **Quest Completed!** **A Gathering We Go!**

You have successfully gathered enough firewood to last the night

**Quality Twigs Acquired [783/500] **

**Rewards;**

**300 Experience.**

**200 Ryo.** And that was the last one. I think I had roughly seven kilograms of twigs, I may have gone slightly overboard. There was enough here to last us most of the night honestly. Well, the 'coolest' part of the night anyway. The nights here were stifling most of the time.

I started making my way back to the cave. Careful to avoid leaving telltale markers of my passing, leaves and sticks on the ground. Dead giveaways if the follower knew anything about what they're doing.

"**I get it,** you want the fire, but we're going to give away our position with it, the benefits **do not outweigh the cost.**" That was Kakashi, by the sound of his voice.

"How the hell are we supposed to see then jackass? I don't care if you can see in the dark because **I** can't. Not to mention that the cave's gonna be even darker thanks to the damn curtain Hyuga made for us!" Obito I deduced, well time to make the most important opinion known then, mine.

"Who're you calling a jackass, you, you…. **You crybaby!**" I'm mildly ashamed, was that the _best_ Kakashi could come up with? I suppose I better butt in before the devolved into a shit slinging contest. Or a name calling match, not much difference really.

A squawk preceded anything Obito was going to say, so I cut in here.

"Maah maah maah, I'm Hyuga now am I Obi~~to? Or should I just call you _Uchiha _then?" I continued trudging into the clearing, making my voice carry to them and no further. They both startled at my voice, Kakashi's head turning on a dime my way while Obito looked as though someone had poured cold water over him.

"Now then, before the two of you end up in a name-calling contest, Kakashi, would you be against a fire if it made little or _no_ smoke? Obito, I'm aware we didn't **need** the curtain, but it'll help keep the cave cooler during the day and hide it. That **won't** help if you guys keep making such a damn racket though."

I could see the denial mounting in Obito's stance, and the surprised but cautious acceptance and frustration mounting it Kakashi's. I guess they didn't have a medium they could communicate in actually, not _really._ Words worked, but I've been noticing that Kakashi is easier to reach with action and body language over just the spoken word.

Obito was on the other end of the spectrum entirely, though he spoke and received through actual speech and discussion instead of body language and speech.

This reading didn't exclude them from the other avenues of communication obviously, not to mention that it was my own personal belief too. Urgh, I'd gotten off track again. My feet hadn't however, they had carried me into the cave my sticks trailing me in the leaf over my shoulder.

I heard the leafy curtain rustle twice more in quick succession as Obito and Kakashi joined me.

It had been quite easy to divvy up what I'd brought back while I was _walking_ back, absolute smallest and driest there, **slightly** bigger but still dry here, on and on. Once they were all divided, I pulled some of the kindling I'd found from my 'bag' to set below my Taj Mahal of stick placements.

Now, "Either of you guys know that Fire technique to light fires stealthily?"

Because I didn't wasn't said, _or_ implied. I had to accept all of my deficiencies and ask for help, or train to overcome them.

It just so happened however, that _Obito_ knew it, oddly enough. Obito, and not Kakashi whom I would've thought to know it. I suppose Obito was turning out to be the camping buff… wait.

Obito was an Uchiha, and the Uchiha as a general principle were _**P**__yromaniacs_. Emphasis on the capital P. Actually, with that new knowledge, him knowing the technique seems a lot more expected and normal now.

Ah, while I'd gone off on a tangent, Obito had lit the kindling. Twigs were fed to the fire with _extreme care_ and as Kakashi opened his mouth to complain about the smoke that was wafting from it, the smoke died. Changed from a wisp to nothing. He closed his mouth as soon as the smoke puttered out.

"Well, that'll tide us over for the night I suppose? I'll stay half-awake to serve as night-watch and fire stoker, you guys get your beauty sleep. I don't need any."

With that being said, I pulled a few leafs from behind me, set them out in a weave and sat down. It would be a **long** night.

Especially if Obito or Kakashi snore.

With that, the first day of the test drew to a close.

Hopefully, tomorrow would be less hectic.


	10. Bad Hare Day

Chapter 9

* * *

I was getting a little desperate, there was no meat… Me, Kakashi and Obito have been making several attempts to find some animals to eat and yet we found nothing. Well we had found something, more specifically I had but I didn't want to touch an Onbaa at all, no thank you. How could a man survive with no meat, meat is the man's romance, it is justice and life! Is what I would be spouting had I a Straw Hat, as it was, however, meat was an integral part of our diet and during this test we needed more food than average

*Rustle* I hope that wasn't the wind again, hearing all those rustling sounds was making me a bit paranoid.

Wait! Could that sound be... A quick check with my eyes confirmed it.

All three of us looked at each other and proceeded to slowly approach the clearing ahead. Obito and I had a very primal hunger in our eyes while Kakashi had his usual deadpan, but even I could see the anticipation in them with the brief glance I caught.

There it was, in the middle of the clearing as I had seen it, our salvation from this vegetarian hell. Trust me, for a carnivorous person like me to become a vegetarian, it was a huge _missed-steak. _It wasn't as though I was consisted on an entirely carnivorous diet either, but with the work that they made us go through, they had to give us what our muscles needed for development one way or another.

It was a hare, a pretty big one at that, good, more meat for me. Its fur was both white and brown, rather bland all said and done.

As soon as I thought of the delicious and succulent meat that was the hare I could barely restrain myself from just jumping into the clearing and eating it raw, just barely. It probably would've gotten me really sick and possibly even abandoned by Kakashi and Obito so I refrained.

Instead, I had a plan and it was **genius**!

I slowly stood up and started to walk into the clearing. Kakashi and Obito lurched in place almost jumping to stop me but were afraid the move would scare away the hare so they stayed put.

I came to a stop a couple of meters away from the hare and squatted down. I had some wild vegetables in my hand and slowly shook them in my hand to lure the hare. At first, it was cautious its stance small as though it would dash as soon as possible and it didn't dare to approach. With a bit of coaxing from me, a combination of being as non-threatening as possible, soothing noises and my stance it slowly approached me and started to munch on the vegetables.

After a bit the hare let its guard down slightly as I picked it up with my arms and proceeded to run my hand up and down its head and body, petting it. Suddenly my hand came to a slow stop atop its head and I began to scratch and fondle its ears slightly, all the while it was happily munching on the vegetables I'd offered it. I brought my other hand up to rub its back too and in a flash, I had them around its neck.

An audible crack followed not a second later.

"... _the hell_…" came from behind me and as I turned coming face to face with Obito and Kakashi, they were standing side by side and both had an odd look in their eyes.

"I got us some meat." I grinned at them. Did they just wince slightly?

"Yeah, we saw." Ah, Kakashi and his deadpan delivery is getting better by the second! I almost felt that one.

Soon we were on our way back to out man cave. It now looked a bit more spruced up with the leaf curtain closing the entrance, a few blankets again hewn from the leaves and other paraphernalia that I'd found and drawings on the walls. Don't ask what they were made from, we'll never tell.

Within a few hours, which felt like an eternity to me, Obito finally finished cooking the hare.

Well, I knew why it'd taken so long, Kakashi and I had been practically attached to his shoulders while he prepared it. Who knew that much work went into preparing food. Well, I knew now, and it was certainly more than turning the oven on to pre-heat to cook some frozen food.

As soon as he had handed it to us we proceeded to rip it to pieces and dig in. As we ate I noticed that both Kakashi and Obito still gave me weird looks whenever they thought I was too distracted to notice them looking. Bitch, I see everything and everyone! Well, my eyes do at any rate.

At the time, I thought nothing about it and soon we were all asleep comfortable off in laa laa land. Well, they were asleep, I was on watch again.

The next morning I was the first to wake up, given the fact that I didn't need to wake up, I was already up. I did, however, deem it a reasonable hour to being and thus I proceeded with my usual morning routine. I cleaned up my hair and made sure that my clothes were impeccable as usual.

My hair was easy enough actually, given its nature or some wired branch of the gamer it was perpetually clean almost. My clothes, on the other hand, I spend fifteen minutes picking clean.

Obito and Kakashi soon showed up and they looked like an utter mess, I wonder why. They also looked tired and a bit groggy so being the kind and courteous teammate that I was, I decided to help them wake up.

"Bad hare day?"

"Oh for the love of god, **dammit** Hiroshi it's too early for your horrible puns!" Moaned Obito as he drove his forehead into his open palm thrice over.

"Hnnn." grunted Kakashi in an entirely approving tone, the traitor.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. By the way, does my hare look good?" I punctuated this statement by swinging my hair along with it.

"**ARGHHH!** That's it Imma kill you!" Obito made an entirely animalistic noise as he charged at me but my good friend Kakashi held him back by the back of his shirt.

"Obito, I've got something to tell you, but you're not going to want to hare it." Obito froze in his struggles to get free from Kakashi and jump me. HIs face going pale as the fire in his eyes dimmed slightly. "I swear, sometimes it's like you don't carr-ot all." No pity, no mercy, no remorse!

"Kakashi…" Obito's voice leaked from his throat, hoarse and dry, begging for salvation or help. The fire in his eyes was growing again, at an exponential rate.

"I'm with you." Responded Kakashi as he let go of Obito. They both proceeded to walk towards me with an entirely strange look in their eyes. I decided that after looking them in the eyes and their eerily synchronized movements that discretion is the better part of valor in this case and fled.

Before I fled, however, just had to get one last pun in, I couldn't resist it at this stage, their reactions were just golden, "Hey now, don't **hop** to conclusions!"

I then proceeded to be the rabbit and made my getaway on fleet foot.

"Come back you bastard!" Obito screamed as he and Kakashi chased after me.

* * *

**AN:**  
Sorry about this late post, but I overestimated the amount of free time I had last week. Hope you enjoy it as this is the last chapter of the academy test. Next chapter we are moving to the actual academy and it will be a bit of a time skip. No worries, interludes and flashbacks will be present though we do accept bribes in the forms of omake.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'm looking forward to your feedback.


	11. Eye got you

**Chapter 10**

* * *

Time had passed, a couple of months if I think about it since academy entrance exam, so far the academy has been a… interesting experience. I tried to befriend all of the people that were relevant to the plot, of course, them being kids made things extremely easy for me. A smile here, a sweet treat there, some well-timed help with academy material made me extremely popular among my classmates and even teachers.

On the flip side, however, it also made it _extremely_ easy to offend and distance myself from them. I mean, of course_ Tommy didn't like Andy and how could I have known that Andy didn't like Mandy? I mean honestly, common sense, right?_

Perhaps luckily, it was only the minority that I was unable to form connections with due to traveling through so many other social cliques. In time, they would fall in line.

Did I feel guilty about manipulating kids like that? Somewhere deep inside, maybe, but Gamer's Mind made the 'maybe guilt' go away real fast by rationalizing it. It was a way of ensuring my future survival. But the skills I got really helped to sooth my mind too, even if they weren't the most 'Righteous' sounding, they got the job done.

* * *

**Liar (Passive)**

**LVL: 10**

**+10 INT**

**+10 WIS**

"**You are good at making others believe whatever you say."**

* * *

**Manipulator (Passive)**

**LVL: 15**

**+15 WIS**

**+15 INT**

"**You are good at making other do whatever you want without them suspecting a thing."**

* * *

**Charisma (Passive)**

**LVL: 12**

**+12% increase effectiveness to social skills by The Gamer.**

"**You are a very likable individual who inspires devotion in those who surround you."**

* * *

**Leadership (AoE Aura, Active/Passive)**

**LVL: 16**

**Passive:**

**+16 WIS**

**Active:**

**+32% chance that allies can resist negative mind stat**

**+16% more damage dealt by allies**

**-8% damage taken by allies**

* * *

Kakashi and Obito became a sort of like little brothers that I never had during the past couple of months, despite and by despite, I do mean ignoring the fact that Obito was older than both Kakashi and me. Of course, both of them were a pain in the ass but I felt that it was a good investment for the future. Besides, weren't all brothers literal pain in the ass?

Kakashi did not get along well with most of our classmates due to his cold or sometimes sarcastic attitude, so Obito and I were his only friends. Personally, however, I think the rest of the class didn't like the idea that two young 'upstarts' could rock on in and do better than them at something they should be better at.

Nobody likes the young prodigy.

The three of us hung out a lot after classes, it was mostly training but sometimes we just talked about things. Most of the time we did both, trading barbs and inspiration between each other as we trained. Obito was getting surprisingly good with his barbs actually. His punches could still use a little work.

We talked about the academy, our classmates and our training. All three of us had a silent agreement to not ask each other about our personal lives, but due to my knowledge, I didn't have to be a genius to see Kakashi and Obito for what they were.

Kakashi was a traumatized kid that walked in on his father's still warm body after his father had taken his own life to atone for his perceived sin. The sin of saving a comrade's life over completing a mission.

He was left living by himself with no one to take care of him and with no one to help him with getting over his trauma. Most probably didn't even realize that he was traumatized, thinking him a cold little bastard for showing no emotion at his father's death. The truth was, however, that he really didn't know how to show his pain.

It's no wonder he saw being a shinobi as the only way to redeem the Hatake name and prove himself in eyes of other people. He probably believed the only way to atone for that was to be a hardass shinobi who followed the 'rules' to the letter. I kinda hope I can change that mindset before we are fielded in this war. Nothing gets you killed faster than being unbending and inflexible.

Obito was a child who grew up being ostracized by his clan. While he was not the brightest bulb in the room and he wasn't what you would call strong, but he had sharp wits and a strength of will comparable to a certain blonde Uzumaki, stronger in a sense since Obito knew that it was his own _kin_ who were ostracizing him.

Obito lived with his sickly grandmother who was barely able to make ends meet by working several jobs. This left Obito starved for attention that he tried to earn whatever way he could, I was more worried about him ending up in an abusive relationship clinging onto the abuser simply because they gave him attention.

Apparently the senile elders had heard of my friendship with Kakashi and Obito. Instead of telling me to stop it, they encouraged me to continue my friendship with Hatake and Uchiha, not using their first names. This further reinforced my thought that they were going senile.

I was a bit suspicious when they did not demand me to cease my friendship with them, I felt a bit cheated since I had essentially prepared what was a whole essay which contained the reasons why I should befriend them.

I first decided to look in the Hyuga library on Hatake family and I found out just what was so great about the Hatake 'clan'. There was actually a _significant_ difference between a family and a clan some small and some mind boggling. Apparently, the Hatake were still considered a clan so long as they had one male offspring capable of reproducing their line. No mention of a female offspring?

I flip through a few more pages and find out why, the followed the rule of the strongest on top, and that was usually the males.

More general information about the Hatake clan abounded in the books pages.

The Hatake's were a shinobi clan, not a family, big difference. The main difference is the number of people they have. The second difference, the sheer economic and political influence that a shinobi clan has is incomparable to that of the clan.

The last and most crucial, a bloodline or special technique. A shinobi family does not need them to function but it is crucial for forming a clan. As a matter of fact, the Hatake clan was summoned into clanhood because of their hereditary dog summons. Rather hypocritical actually considering they made and trained their own summons.

The Hatake's were always small in size, the largest the clan ever having been recorded was five members strong. They usually hover around two and three members. It was never really uncommon for their family to only have two or one members for years at a time but the line just never seemed to really sputter out and die. Tenacious, I had to give them that.

That was probably helped along by the fact that every shinobi reared from the Hatake line was an _exceptional_ shinobi, no questions about it. Every single one. The Hatake clan seemed to favor the adage of quality over quantity.

During the clan wars era, the Hatake family worked as mercenaries, sell blades. They worked for the highest bidder. Once paid, they completed their mission no matter what, no questions asked either. This tenant probably made them as popular as they were.

Because they were not restricted to any clan, the Hatake's were able to travel all over Elemental Nations and gather a huge collection of weapons and jutsu that they took from their dead opponents.

One of the more frightening things mentioned about the Hatake clan was that even the Kaguya clan respected them as worthy opponents. Hatake family are mentioned in the Hyuga archives as a clan that had both been allies and enemies through history, owing to their nature as mercenaries.

The Hatake name was both feared and respected throughout the Elemental Nations as a strong ally and a fearsome enemy. A lot of people were rattled when Hatake declared their allegiance to Konoha. The reputation of Hatake clan was taken to new heights with Hatake Sakumo, The White Fang.

That reputation was then destroyed by him during a fateful mission where he chose the lives of his comrades over completing the mission, which started tensions which culminated in the form of the Third Shinobi World War.

I suppose their family adage of quality over quantity followed them here too, they may not fuck up often, but when they did, they did so **spectacularly.**

After digesting the information about Kakashi, I could not wait to learn why they encouraged my friendship with Obito. I made a few subtle inquiries to branch family members that were my servants since I was a baby, they explained why Uchiha were especially tough on Obito. Turns out he was a direct descendant of Kagami Uchiha.

Now, some might ask why would that be a reason for Uchiha to dislike a little kid? In fact, they should support him since he is a descendant of such a powerful shinobi. Well, the reason is because Kagami was in full support of the limits that the second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, put into place for Uchiha clan.

This created a conflict between him and his clan but also involved anyone who is directly related to him within two generations. Politics, or in this case anyone whom his proclivities could've had a direct impact on. That means anyone from his grandparents to his grandkids was included in the embargo placed against him, which sadly involved Obito, as he was Kagami's grandson.

His family was also really poor as a result of the conflict and resulting embargo as the clan refused to give them the stipend that all other family members receive as members of Uchiha clan.

This stipend was drawn from the numerous businesses that Uchiha clan owes all over the village to help their members to live up to a certain standard that is expected for Uchihas. A clan tax if you would. I guess only two things are certain in this world, death and taxes.

Obito and his grandmother did not enjoy the benefits that were given to the rest of their clan falling inside the preview of the ban placed upon their family. Even ignoring the fact that Kagami was already six feet under and full of worms, the embargo stuck.

They were left to fend for themselves in this big scary world. The reason those old bastards wanted me to lure Obito to my side is because having Uchiha as my quote on quote lackey would both increase the prestige of Hyuga clan and serve as a slap to the face of the Uchiha clan. Politics, need I say more? I could, but I won't.

Senile old codgers.

I could really make use of this to bind Kakashi and Obito closer to me. In fact, I did make use of it. Before I came along both Obito and Kakashi used to eat instant noodles or conserved food during lunch and probably for all other meals.

After the three of us became more comfortable with each other I asked the family cooks to prepare two more lunch boxes for me, when they asked why I responded that I was growing boy and I needed my lunch. I brought both lunch boxes to the academy to share with Kakashi and Obito. Both of them grumbled at first and refused the lunch boxes, but after a few tries, they both gave in. I swear I saw tears in their eyes when they ate it the first time, they probably didn't eat anything fresh for a while.

I sniffed the air twice, actually no. They were probably crying because of how spicy the food was, the wimps. I let them know as much too.

But those things are not currently relevant, what's relevant is my conversation with Obito. We were currently sitting in our assigned classroom, the sound of muffled and hushed conversations surrounding us.

"Why Hiroshi? Why is it that my clan members _nod_ when you walk by? They never do it for anyone else bar the clan head so why did the guards nod at you? Huh, Why?! TELL ME YOUR SECRET!"" Obito demanded as he shook me back and forth.

He was starting to sound a bit hysterical. Childhood trauma? Probably. I should interrupt him and get his train of thoughts going another way, a _hilarious way._

I pretended to be embarrassed and scratched the back of my head my whole countenance screaming embarrassment, I hate to toot my own horn but I'm a decent actor. Pfft, who am I kidding, I **love** to toot my own horn.

"It's probably because I look damn fine, not to mention the hair, I mean have you _seen_ this hair?" I punctuate this statement by doing a model hair flip, "and you, well, you look like you crawled out of the wrong side of the bed!"

A silence descended all around us as Obito's mouth dropped open. That was soon replaced with laughter and a scream of rage, too bad for Obito that I got Byakugan. Just as he was about to lunge at me teacher Jibei walked into the classroom. Perfectly timed, Byakugan OP.

"Obito, sit down, the lesson is starting." Jibei _commanded_ as soon as he entered the room. He made an immediate line for the board and began writing on it.

Obito obviously obeyed but the stink eye he gave me the whole lesson, well let's just say that if looks could kill I'd be dead. I also caught him fussing over his hair a few times.

It was all resolved the next lesson when we were sparring. I obviously kicked Obito's teeth in but he got to vent and everything was just fine. He even managed to get some sand on my white clothes. I'll have to remind him later on that _nobody_ gets my clothes dirty, _nobody_. I think a broken bone or two should suffice, it'll be a start.

As Kakashi, Obito and I were exiting the academy we were interrupted by a call from behind us. Less a call and more a yell honestly, someone sounded out of breath.

"Oi, Hiroshi, wait a moment" Asuma yelled as he and Kurenai tried to catch up to us. A task they completed only when we stopped and turned to greet them. "Phew, I'm glad we caught you before you left. Hiroshi, could you help us out with our hand-to-hand? Kurenai and I are a bit worried about the upcoming tests."

"Yeah, come on Hiroshi, please?" pleaded Kurenai while making puppy eyes at me.

I paused in my response to them, and looked them both up and down obviously my eyes probing, a small smirk grew on my face as Asuma realized his mistake, "I guess you two need it huh?"

I made sure to pump as much snooty sarcasm in it as possible. Asuma groaned as it hit.

"As for some training, I don't see why not. I was planning to go to a training field anyway." I answered. I could train at the clan compound but from time to time I just needed some freedom. To feel the air in my hair and the grass beneath my feet. I said my quick goodbyes to both Obito and Kakashi.

I proceeded to guide Kurenai and Asuma to the training field that was available for all academy students. I slowly sped up along the way until I was flat out sprinting, leaving both of them in the dust as they tried to keep up. It wasn't too far from the academy and it was nothing fancy. A few thick logs for academy students to practice their hand-to-hand combat and harden their bones. A large clearing to run a few laps and some targets for training ranged skills.

Fan fact, heh, apparently Kurenai and Asuma were friends since entrance exam. I had kinda thought that they had met during the exams or became friends during the academy, apparently they had known each other long beforehand.

We soon reached the field, well I arrived first by a good margin actually which gave me plenty of time to set up the field the way I wanted. I gave a nod when they arrived, sweating and panting, clapping my hands and informing them that that I wanted to see their stances.

The look I received again would've sent me straight to hell but the best way to find faults is to do something you're meant to know when the circumstances aren't normal or 'standard'.

Since I was feeling a little vindictive at them for interrupting my Obito and Kakashi TM time, I felt a little punishment was in order. To that extent, when they screwed up a kata I had them repeat the stance the screwed up or did wrong five times before they were then forced to start the entire kata again.

I joined in on the exercise too running through the kata's in front of them so they had a point of reference.

Being from a clan that specializes in hand-to-hand together with being a "prodigy" ensured that I was undefeated in taijutsu. I was untouchable even, nobody in the class bar Kakashi and Gai could actually touch me, or get my clothes dirty as the case may be, even as kids they were still badass. I was also on top of the class in all other subjects with Kakashi and Anko, of all people, coming close second and third respectively.

"Asuma, your stance is too wide. Kurenai, your hand is in the wrong position, it needs to be on level with your shoulder." I calmly corrected their stances, continuing on with the kata myself.

Despite the belief of some people about the futility of katas, they are there to help develop muscle memory through continuous repetition. During combat you don't have time to think of how you are going to block that kick and then counter, you just have to do it. To us, future shinobi, especially during war time, a millisecond was a difference between life and death. It also helped remove thought from the equation in combat, our bodies would naturally fall into patterns allowing us to think on other things.

"Thanks for the help Hiroshi, guess we'll see you tomorrow." Kurenai huffed at me, Asuma had apparently given up on trying to stand and instead was lying on the ground heaving for breath. I hadn't worked them that hard had I?

"Yeah, thanks for the help Hiroshi, we owe you one." Asuma managed to wheeze out. I think more physical training will be on their schedule in future actually. I also noted that one, I planned to collect later on.

I gave them both a nod as I exited the training ground. They were probably going to be a little longer before they left. I think they might need to catch their breath again. After I parted with Asuma and Kurenai I proceeded to walk down the street. Kakashi soon joined me. He simply walked from an alley that he had been watching me from and started to walk beside me as if he had been there all along, with that same bored look that he always has on his face.

He might think I didn't know but I did, I had gotten used to him and he stuck out like a sore thumb to me when I flashed my Byakugan.

"I don't understand why you waste time training them when you could spend it training yourself." Kakashi kinda said and observed at the same time, if you're asking me a question Kakashi, ask me a question damn it!

"Kakashi, they are our future comrades. Think of it this way, would you entrust them to watch your back more securely before or after I trained them? No, scratch that, would you prefer the person watching your back be well trained and competent, or would you prefer them to be okay and maybe competent in a combat situation?" I shot back, well more observed his observation. Talking with Kakashi was weird at times.

"Hn, I guess I see your point. Anyway, are you going to take the early graduation option that they offered to us to take at the end of the year?" I've noticed that about Kakashi if he sees your point or you get something across to him he won't really argue it if it makes sense or is beneficial to him. He'll just go along with the flow.

"Of course, besides, elders will kill me if I refused the chance to add another achievement to my already crammed list of achievements." Old bastards, not that I wasn't going to do it anyway. Getting out of the boring and slow academy early? Yes, please.

"I guess I'm going to take it too, can't let you go on frontlines without someone there to watch your back," Kakashi said while looking to the side, it was kind of endearing honestly.

"Ha, make sure you watch your own back first, unlike me you don't have magical eyes of bullshit to help you. But… eye'll allow it."

"Sigh, Iris my case. Guess we're graduating early, but what is going to be done about our team. Are there going to be only two of us? And really, magical eyes?" Kakashi asked with a raised eyebrow.

A vicious burst of joy bashed itself against the Gamer's Mind and found itself wanting, that didn't stop me from latching myself onto Kakashi with tears in my eyes. "I've finally converted you, brother, let me embrace you!" I was shoved off him a moment later, his sigh somehow heard over the racket that I'd made.

Not that I know what is going to happen myself. We could both end up on the same team or we could both be under Minato which would FUBAR canon far too early for my taste. I would probably end up under another Jounin though, apprentices were a very rare thing in this village according to my memory.

"I guess for a while, they'll probably assign us to a Jonin pseudo~apprenticeships I think. Later on, they will probably put us on teams when they need some slots filled up. Until then it's just you and me partner." I answered as honestly as I could, I really wasn't sure what was going to happen.

"Whatever. So what are we doing today?" inquired Kakashi sliding two questioning eyes my direction. Well, such a simple questions deserve an equally simple response.

"Training, what else my _youthful_ friend?" I responded with a smile that threatened to split my face in two as I saw a hint of fear in Kakashi's eyes. My hand lashed out and grabbed him as he made a run for it.


	12. Olive You From My Head Tomatoes

**Chapter 11**

* * *

**4 months later**

* * *

"Hn."

"Kakashi, grunt at me… one more time, I dare you. I double dare you!" I said, calmly with the implied threat thick in my voice. My face blank of emotion, on anyone else, this would've been extremely effective.

This was just anyone however, this was Kakashi.

Kakashi had become very familiar with that particular threatening voice of mine over the last few months. It was the voice I used when I was about to smack him in the head for being a shit head.

Not that it ever deterred him.

As it so happened, however, I was trying to fill a void in Kakashi's life in a non-invasive way. He was almost completely devoid of any relationships really outside of me, and I'm still not sure why he attached to me in the first place.

He didn't have a family, well tangentially he did, the village and the people who's job it was to look after shinobi orphans in the village but that was beside the point. He didn't have a family, no one to look up to, no one to greet when he got home and no one to smack him on the back and congratulate him for a good job.

Kakashi had been surprised the first few times I'd honestly complimented him for doing well at something. Either he didn't know how to respond to it or he was freaked out that a Hyuuga was complimenting him.

A huge part of Kakashi's mid and late life problems stemmed from early childhood trauma, no friends, not really any friends, no real acquaintances, and no family to look up to or to get guidance from. He became self-sufficient as a response. He became so self-sufficient that he forgot how to let other people help. He forgot how to let people in.

I was sticking my big foot inside the door and I wasn't moving it. He was stuck with me until either I die, or he died. Which, the gods of this forsaken land willing, wouldn't be for a very long time indeed.

Quite honestly. I had really grown to like Kakashi, he was the younger brother that I'd always kinda wanted but without the baby part. I mean, I didn't have to watch him and stop him from gnawing on the table, or change a diaper but I had a companion in Kakashi.

The fact that I could use our friendship to bully the elders into letting me have free time had little to do with it, I swear.

"Yes mother," Kakashi shot at me, rolling his eyes at the same time. I narrowed my eyes in response. This wouldn't do, Kakashi was being a little shit head. It was for his 'Own Good' I decided. That having been said, I slapped the back of his head.

"Owch! Stop doing that!"

"Stop doing what? I didn't do nothing, and don't roll your eyes at me son, you're a hundred years too young to be doing that." I responded in kind, moving ahead of him while adopting a hunched stance. For added effect I mimed using a cane to help me walk.

"Stop! Hitting! Me!" Kakashi ground out, I could hear his teeth clenching from here actually. "And stop walking like that! You look stupid!"

"But I didn't hit you!" Kakashi looked at me as though I wasn't quite right in the head, honestly, I don't disagree. I make no mention of having heard his last part, continuing to walk like I am.

"But there was a bug. Was I supposed to let it land on your head or something?" Kakashi pulled out his now in development super weapon. And again, if looks could kill I'd be dead, dust in the wind even.

I don't think he bought that excuse. The growl he let out confirmed it.

He took a swipe aiming to slap my head. I just so happened to bend over at the same time to look at a particularly interesting rock. The dirt slid slightly so I had to adjust my stance too, this had the unfortunate side effect of tripping Kakashi with my leg.

I rose again in a fluid motion and turned to look at Kakashi. I stared at his downed form for a second before I just couldn't help myself. "... What are you doing down there?"

"Looking at the dirt, what else?"

While that happened a small crowd had gathered around us, this was nothing new. The people learned with time that when Kakashi and I were around there was always shenanigans happening. They figured that they might as well get some free entertainment out of it while we were at it. But we had a few virgins here apparently, they looked at us like we're nuts. Sadly, I couldn't disagree with them.

Somehow, however, this had an unfortunate side effect at the compound, the Hyuga elders were on a blood-hunt to find the people who were 'starting rumors' of my antics to bring them to justice for besmirching my name. Haha, jokes on them. It was me, all along!

Also, what am I on about saying sadly, there's no sadly about it. I'm as fruity as fruit cake and I'm damn pleased about it. I had a sudden urge to start singing It's Not Unusual. I quashed it. No need to give the Hyuuga's Are Insane club any more ammunition to shoot, or give the elders more loose ends to follow up on.

Kakashi had picked himself up and started dusting himself off in the time I'd been thinking. He began walking towards the Hokage's Tower, to which we had been summoned there from the Academy and instead of doing the normal thing and going straight there, full of nerves we decided to fuck around on the way. Well, actually I had, and I'd dragged Kakashi into it against his will.

"I still don't understand why we, and by we I mean you wasted all that precious time training others, they can take care of themselves." Kakashi half grumbled half stated and half observed as we continued along our path to the Hokage's tower. Kakashi, you're doing my head in again. Why can't you just say something, or observe or just stick to one thing? Ugh, bastard. At least he doesn't do things by half, oh wait. He did, three times.

"Kakashi, how many times do I have to repeat this?" I complained more to the world that Kakashi wasn't getting it than at Kakashi himself.

"The chain is only as strong as its weakest link. We will be fighting together with those people in the future, probably against overwhelming odds. I would quite honestly prefer the comrades I'm trusting my back with, my life with even to be at the very damn least competent at what they're doing. If that means spending a few hours of my day a week to help them with some katas, then so be it."

"But we won't even see most of them I don't know, _years_ at least since we're graduating early." Kakashi observed, he did have a point.

"I'm planning to live a long life, so waiting a few years for them to graduate doesn't bother me at all, see the previous statement... besides, you needed more social interaction."

"Well, that's what you're for, isn't it?" Kakashi mused.

"I mean with other people besides me Kakashi. You know, people who _aren't_ fruitier than a fruit basket?" I replied with a sigh and a shake of my head.

"You really want to squeeze those fruit jokes for all they're worth." Kakashi deadpanned.

"They a-peel to me." I shot back, my face straight as can be. I was so proud of Kakashi at the moment.

"Now this is just getting rotten…"

"What can I say? I have a passion for fruit."

We continued walking in silence for a few more minutes before all of a sudden, a leg was blocking my stride, I had a nice face full of dirt cake not a second later.

"You do realize Kakashi, that this means war?"

I suppose it goes to show that you should never take victory for granted.

We reached the Hokage tower covered head to toe in dust and proceeded to the main desk.

"Excuse me, we have been told to come here and speak to Hokage." I informed the woman at the desk. For a moment she seemed lost, then a look of realization appeared on her face. She probably didn't recognize us, covered in dust as we are.

"Ah, yes, you're Mr. Hyuga and Mr. Hatake, Hokage's secretary told me to expect you. You can proceed upstairs, I'll warn Hogake's secretary that you're coming." The lady behind the main desk said, already burying her head in the work piled around her. Busy time year I guess. Her head popped up a few moments later with a brush of some description, she handed it to a mildly bewildered Kakashi, "You may want to brush yourself off sonny, especially if you're seeing the Hokage."

Kakashi looked at the brush then at me, noticed I was sparkling clean and groaned. He'd been had! Cleaning skill, FTW!

"Thank you, have a good evening." I replied. I gave a polite bow and we proceeded upstairs. Once we got to our destination, there was another woman behind a desk waiting for us there. She told us that we would have to wait a little bit, someone was already seeing the Hokage.

* * *

I had a lot of respect for Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, both before and after my reincarnation. Sandaime was a surprisingly short man, he had dark skin and spiked brown hair. He had a small gray goatee on his chin, but a surprisingly youthful look for someone his age. He was currently wearing his Hokage robes, hat, and everything. I had thought before I'd you know, physically re-incarnated that he wore the robes all the time. Turns out that it's a load of shit.

He wore what he wanted when he was working in his office and only really used the robes for 'formal' activities. Such as wandering the village which he did rarely due to his station, and meeting shinobi

As the de-facto leader of Konoha, one of the five largest and 'strongest' ninja villages in the Elemental Nations and a shinobi himself, he was a role model for many shinobi in Konoha. He led Konoha through two shinobi world wars and made sure that each time, it was his people who came out on top.

Many people disliked him or criticized him back on earth, but the fact is, Third Hokage was one of the oldest living and strongest shinobi in elemental nations. Not many shinobi live to reach old age. Those shinobi who reach old age do so because either all of their enemies are dead or failed to kill them. Or because they were mediocre enough that nobody ever noticed them, therefore nobody killed them. You know, the regular every day average guy, well the Ninja equivalent of it anyway.

I was broken from my reverie by the lady sitting to the left of the Hokage's door informing me and Kakashi after poking her head into the room that the Hokage would see us now.

I looked over at Kakashi as I stood up, he had cleaned himself up remarkably well all things considered and caught his eye. We both made a small nod and started moving towards the door.

I'll admit, that standing before that door, knowing for a fact that the Hokage was on the other side and _expecting_ us. One of the 'strongest' people on the current earth was expecting me, and even though the gamer's mind, I felt a small thrill. Kakashi looked as though he was gonna bolt actually, not that I really blamed him.

I took a deep breath and pushed the door open, I swear to god I saw the secretary looking at us funny from the corner of her eye. That or she may have been looking at us understandingly. We entered together.

The Hokage's office was and wasn't what I was expecting. It really didn't hold the gravity that it should've. It didn't really have a presence that you expect from a room of such importance. Not that it _needed_ it, with the Hokage sitting at the desk.

The room was large and circular, dominated solely by the Hokage's desk with paperwork spread out around it, on top of it and if I were to hazard a guess, under it too. Two large bookshelves stood on the edges of the room, directly opposite of each other and somewhere between it and the Hokage's desk sat a scroll holder.

I think the best way to describe it would've been to call it a wine rack but with the holes being smaller or larger as necessary to house the scrolls.

I also did a quick scan for exits, something that had become a habit of mine at the academy, and at the compound too. If I didn't want to do something, they'd never find me. Neither would they stop me from escaping.

During my inspection, we had reached our destination and bowed together, our destination being about a meter and a half in front of the Hokage's desk.

The Hokage had risen his head as we walked in to look at us, a gleam in his eyes.

"No need for that, raise your heads. You two are the youngest shinobi to ever graduate from the shinobi academy surpassing even the Sannin, that is no small achievement." Sandaime complimented us while holding his smoking pipe, a small smile playing on his lips. A wistful quality too, and maybe a little sad but I could be reaching.

Maybe he was sad that he was sending us to a battlefield effectively. Bah, bullshit. This was the man sending generations to war, the sons and daughters of his comrades even. He wouldn't care about us going off to hell a few years early.

"Thank you, Sir!" We both said in unison, raising our heads to be standing at attention. He waved our stances away with a lazy wave of his hand. "Relax, I won't bite. Much."

That having been said, he hemmed before moving on.

"Now, I called you here because I want your opinion on something. You see, if there were only one or three of you than I could have easily assigned you to a single jonin and be done with this." Here he paused and gave us a stink eye in a way that was entirely comical. I had no idea how he managed to do that but I immediately wanted to learn.

"Since however there are two of you, I've decided to hear what is it that you want to do. You are both prodigies and even though we are in wartime footing, there are quite a few Jonin who would be willing to take you on as apprentices." He paused here to look at us again, not that he ever stopped but with his full attention behind it, it felt a lot more weighty.

"Or you can both take a single jonin who will teach you both for now and when the rest of your class graduates take one of them to create a full team. Make sure to think this through, as this is a decision that will affect the rest of your career as a shinobi." The Hokage ordered more than said because he was right here and now ordering us to choose the path the rest of our career would take. It was a heady decision and I already knew what I would pick.

I wanted an apprenticeship or more accurately I wanted the personal attention of a Jonin to train me, I needed to be strong for more than one reason and the personal attention and training of one such person would make that task that much easier.

I imagine that Kakashi wanted the same thing, even though I had been there to ground and mellow him out some, he still had a chip on the shoulder and grudge against the world. He would want much the same thing honestly, that said however I asked anyway. You know what they say about assumptions.

I turned my head, catching Kakashi's eyes, "You still up for it?" It'd probably be inconsequential small talk to the Hokage but Kakashi and I had talked about it.

We had debated the point quite furiously, well going over all the pros and cons of each option after I'd raised the point that it would be an option most likely. Kakashi had initially argued in favor of being on a team together before I'd won him over to my side. Being on the same team was good and all but we'd be starved for attention because we'd both need more and more of it from our teachers as we progressed.

In the end, having a separate Jonin Instructor each was the best option not to mention that our interests in the ninja arts lay in different areas. Not to mention, what probably won him over to my side was the fact that we would still be able to see each other even if we had different Jonin Instructors.

"Sir, may we please know the jonin who are willing to take us as apprentices?" I asked after Kakashi nodded his head slightly.

The Hokage nodded his head as if expecting the question and rummaged around on his desk for a few moments before pulling a scroll from it, and unfurling it.

"Ah, let's see here, you have three options readily available, the rest are out on active deployment, unfortunately. They are Orochimaru, Namikaze Minato or Kushina Uzumaki." He paused again.

Rummaged around a little bit slowly as though thinking before continuing again, "Orochimaru was a member of the three Sannin, personally trained by me and has been an active Shinobi for many, many years now. His strengths are his phenomenal skill at techniques and hand to hand combat. His more esoteric areas are lacking. Namikaze Minato, an upcoming Jonin who's proving quite effective. He also has a phenomenal skill at techniques, lesser than that of Orochimaru and much more effective at hand to hand. His strength lies more in speed than brute force. His more esoteric knowledge and technique is above par. Overall, a well-rounded shinobi."

He rummaged around a bit again as if looking for something particular, and he evidently found it by his lightning expression. He held up three photos. A spiked blond hair, blue eyed male. A pasty snake looking dude, and a redheaded woman that looked kinda hot. I paused.

Did I seriously just consider Kushina Uzumaki, hot? I need a moment. I guess redheads were my thing?

The Hokage hadn't been idle while I'd been thinking and grinding over that realization, he'd continued talking, "Kushina Uzumaki, the most well-rounded shinobi here actually. Well, kinda. Her ninja techniques are hovering around average but her hand to hand is above average, her Kenjutsu, however, is absolutely phenomenal. Atop of that, her esoteric knowledge is also phenomenal owing to the fact that she's one of Konoha's seal master. A seal mistress in this case, don't tell her I said that though." He winked at us.

Uzumaki Kushina, as in Naruto's mother? Orochimaru as well, isn't he supposed to take on a team of three that will include Anko later on? I guess I will go with Kushina, I'm somewhat familiar with her character from the show and there were no indications that she had any apprentices to my knowledge.

Not to mention that having access to her brain to pick on seals as I made my way from a squabbling apprentice to a decent practitioner would be absolutely invaluable. The gamer was helping me along slowly but surely, but having an actual master who might be willing to help would increase my progress phenomenally.

As I was off in dreamland the Hokage handed us three files each, one on each prospective Jonin for our apprenticeships. He shooed us over to a couch that I swear to god wasn't there before and bid us to look them over. This was a very big decision so I could understand this.

It was surprisingly detailed, the reports that are, more so than I would've considered. I'd already decided whom I was going to choose, however, now all that I was waiting on was Kakashi,

Me and Kakashi both looked at each other after about five minutes of thoroughly checking over all the files, I gestured for him to decide first. Me more out of a sense of curiosity and Kakashi on an actual desire to know his options.

"I would like to apprentice under Namikaze-san, I have seen him around the village several times and his reputation says that he is a competent shinobi." Kakashi half said and half asked from the seat.

"I would like to apprentice under Uzumaki Kushina while I have not heard much about her, I have always had a well, let's just say I've got an avid interest in learning fuinjutsu. Learning it under one of the few masters of the art is not an opportunity I can pass up. The opportunity to learn to wield a blade isn't something I'd pass up on either. Most Hyuuga's die during their first encounter with a blade-wielding opponent. I don't want to be one." I finished.

"It is decided then, they will meet you tomorrow at noon near the entrance of this tower, make sure to be on time. Dismissed." Said Hokage and went back to his paperwork.

After we exited from the Hokage tower, we decided to celebrate at a dango shop not far from the tower. And by we, I mean I decided. I dragged Kakashi along because why not?

"So, I guess this is it, we're finally going to be shinobi."

"Guess we are." Kakashi opined while munching his dango "By the way, why dango?"

"Don't you know? I'm on a see-food diet, every time I see food, I eat it." A blink and a small smile.

"But just because we're going to be on different teams, does not mean that you can go back to your bad habits. I will come by your apartment whenever I have free time, it better be as clean and neat as I left it." I started while pointing at him with one of my dango sticks, reminiscent of a purple haired lady actually.

I briefly pause and wonder if Anko would be mad at me for stealing her future shtick? Oh well. I was older, I think? Whatever the case, I was a shinobi first and thus, I called seniority. "And make sure to eat lots of eggs, I heard they give you egg-celent vision. Besides, for breakfast, a boiled egg is hard to beat."

Ohh, a groan! It was working.

"What are you, my moth- Ouch, stop doing that." Kakashi shot after I chopped the top of his head with my hand.

"I told you a million times, don't egg-agerate." I said while smirking down at him.

"Why you-"

"I know, I know. My joke was bad and I should feel bad… but I don't! A good pun is its own re-word."

"I think you've yoked this enough. It's starting to smell a bit rotten."

Urgh! Kakashi that cut deep!

I mimed grasping my heart in imaginary pain, "Kakashi, how could you wound me so! How could you inflict such a grievous wound onto my open and beautiful heart?"

Even as we bickered back and forth, we both knew that starting tomorrow, we would be shinobi and at any moment one of us could die, so we had fun while we were still kids. More specifically, we had fun while we still could. And by we, I mean I. Poor Kakashi.

I was kinda looking forwards to the night honestly, good news and I had an entire day to blow. Hyuga clan Library better put your glasses on, because here I come!

* * *

I woke at the crack of dawn, _again._ Exactly four hours after I went to sleep. The blue box sat in front of my face cheerfully informing me that I was now well rested and that my HP and CP were full again along with the fact that all negative status effects had been removed. I really did want to rage against it, I _liked _my sleep, I loved my sleep even and the gamer wouldn't let me sleep for more than 4. I'd tried to get more in one session but holy shit, I couldn't.

I would wake up four hours after I went to sleep, completely rested and full of life. It was a pain in the goddamn ass when I was being monitored as I was. I mean on one hand, extra time, on the other hand, I had to stay up _super_ late and let me tell you, this place was eerie at night.

As it was, however, I simply removed the blankets with mechanical precision, I'd have to make the bed then I was going to create as little as possible work for myself. Having said that, I slid my feet out and stood in one motion. I barely even noticed the cold wooden floor. It had become a ritual for me by now.

As I entered the bathroom I was taken again by the fact that I was an adult as far as the village was concerned now. The proof of that sat gleaming on the sink I'd have to fix that though.

I grabbed the headband and as I did I started hearing an echo of my oath, the oath that I had spoken yesterday. The oath that had inducted me into the Shinobi ranks.

_Without the People, there can be no Leaf,_

_Serving the Leaf is my Duty,_

The headband was raised to sit before my eyes, I stared at its gleaming visage. I was reminded of all the years of training, of all the blood and sweat. The training never truly stopped, not for one moment, not for me. From the moment I realized where I was I knew that I can only rely on my own power in this cruel world

_Without the Leaf, there can be no People,_

_Serving the People is my Purpose,_

The headband reflecting my eyes, and through my eyes, I saw myself. I remembered the new people I met, the friends and enemies I made. I knew that some of those people will not live past the decade and many more will die by my hand.

_Without the People, there can be no Victory,_

_Securing the Victory is my Burden,_

I saw my face, my eyes and I saw deeper. I saw myself for what I was. I remember who I was and who I became. I was never a naive person, is what I used to believe. But this world had opened my eyes to how little I truly knew.

_Without the Victory, there can be no Safety,_

_Securing the Safety is my Promise,_

I accepted what I was, what I am and what I will be. I reflect on the things I did, I'm doing and will do in the future. My path will not be easy, it will be filled with pain and tears and hate, probably lots of blood too if I'm honest..

_Without the Safety, there can be no Future,_

_Forging the Future is my Pledge,_

I stared at the hand holding the headband, already calluses were forming, despite the Gamer's Body, proof of my hard work, hard work that I would have never done before. That I _had never done before._

_Without the Future, there can be no Hope_

_Enduring to Hope is my Oath._

And that was all there was to it.

That having been said, however, I thrust the headband under the faucet and turned the handle, I took the brush to it a second later. Well, not a regular brush, you know those steel mesh brushes? One of those.

Time to get the abominable fucking shine off. I didn't want a goddamn flashlight attached to my head.

And they wonder why the genin mortality rate is so damn high.

I spent maybe five~ish minutes scrubbing away the shiny metal until it lost its gleam, dulling down enough that it _didn't_ look like something a fresh genin would have. That having been done I took set it down next to the sink to finish my morning ritual.

That took maybe three minutes, I'd gotten good at it. The metal had dried off enough by then that I took it back into my room while I got dressed. Then it was straight outside with it and into the garden with it.

I started rubbing it around in the dirt to scuff it some more. Fucking assholes, handing shit like this out to fresh genin, what are they trying to do? Get their forces killed or something?

When I was finally satisfied with the state of my headband, I shook it off, attached it again to cloth strip it came with and tied it around my neck so the metal plate rested just above my collarbone. Completely ignoring the intent location for it.

A nod to the guards as I left the compound six hours early to head to the training grounds was all that would be heard of me that day within the Hyuga.

I figured Kakashi would arrive maybe two, even four hours from now to begin to warm up with me as well.

* * *

While I was somewhat familiar with Kushina and Minato from watching the anime and reading the manga, there was only so much I knew. Not to mention that there was _little_ way to confirm if it held true in my now reality. I mean, there had already been differences and I questioned it. Had I caused them, or if I had changed them by dint of existing. I doubt and doubt but in the end, it did me little good. I put it to rest. I'd deal with it as it came. I'd roll with the punches. Something I'd become remarkably good at doing honestly.

From what I could gather from my prior knowledge, rumors and the overview files that were given to us, Kushina was basically a female version of Naruto. Or was it Naruto who was a male version of his mother. Bah, what was the difference? Anyway, on the other hand, Minato was a very calm and collected individual, but he still knew when to get serious and when it was time to have fun, at least that was my hope.

I was kinda mixing and mashing what I'd read from the overview file and what I'd know from actually, you know, reading the Naruto storyline.

Naruto, from what I could gather, had inherited the mannerism and habits of his mother, he inherited the looks of his father. I was looking forward to seeing my new teacher, sealing was a very valuable skill that I had every intention to earn.

As Kakashi and I made our way to the Hokage's tower after our warm up I was shaking my arms a little to deal with the aftereffects I could still feel and I was also rolling my joints as much as possible. Limbering up, Kakashi was sporting an impressive shiner from where I'd managed to land a nice punch.

I was sporting some nice bruises myself, Kakashi had gotten _really_ good at landing his hits. We hadn't done too much more and they were all superficial at worst honestly, I'd used some of my budding crafting skills to create some 'healing' food beforehand. Well, at home and out of sight. It worked though. As to why I had the bruises, well I didn't. I did, however, have a crafting skill and plenty of clay. I called them stick on bruises.

As we neared the tower we noticed two people near the entrance leaning on the wall and talking. A blonde haired male, and a red headed female.

I do believe he was the red headed female was Minato, while the yellow-haired male was Yellow Haired male's attire consisted of a standard Konoha uniform with two bands on both of his sleeves, a green flak jacket, blue forehead protector, and blue sandals. He had a small smile on his face as he was talking to another person to his right.

Yes, Yes, I knew who they were but I felt it better to sound them out earlier rather than later. Just to see if I would have to hold back my jokes.

The Red Headed female, she had a slender, but feminine build, fair skin, violet eyes, fiery red hair — a common trait among the members of the Uzumaki clan — she wore a blue forehead protector with her hair tied up in a high ponytail and strands framing the sides of her face. Her attire consisted of a standard Konoha flak jacket over a black short-sleeved shirt and black form-fitting pants that reached her calves. In other words, she was Kushina Uzumaki.

As we got closer they turned towards us and smiled before greeting us.

I beat them to the punch, however, looking directly at Minato, "You must be Kushina Uzumaki, It's nice to meet you, the Picture we were given made you look a lot more feminine." I paused here to turn to look at Kushina as Minato's mind malfunctioned.

"And you must be Minato Namikaze, A pleasure to meet you. Again, the picture we were given had you looking more manly for some reason, oh well." The smirk on her face let me know she knew what was going on.

"Oh my god, thank you! Someone finally able to tell who's who. I tell you Hiroshi, I get right sick of telling people off about it. It's nice to know that at least _someone_ can tell us apart." I… I didn't know what to say. Other that I really liked her? I mean, holy shit, someone with a sense of humor!

"Et tu?" Looks like Minato's brain had re-engaged and had processed my joke, only to be inundated again with Kushina jumping in with my joke. He was futilely pointing at Kushina and himself. Muttering his name while pointing at her and her name when pointing at himself, "Kushina? Minato?"

While he was out of commission, I moved along. Wouldn't do to lose momentum now I suppose I walked over to Kushina leaving Kakashi frozen in place, probably practicing his statue impression and began speaking to Kushina, "So then you're going to be taking on Kakashi as a student? What do you have planned to teach him?"

Her poker face was impressive but I could see cracks forming, especially as Minato got increasingly out of sorts before she could open her mouth, however, a groan was heard from Minato and Kakashi in general, their horror filled statement echoed in stereo together, "Oh god, there's two of them!"

They must have realized they'd both said the same thing as they looked at each other, then at us, at each other again, nodded and in synchronized movements, walked to the other side of the street and starting talking. Rude.

I allowed a small but sincere smile to grow on my face as I looked up at Kushina, a devilish smirk split her lips. "Thanks for playing along. I'm sorry about the joke but I figured it'd be the easiest way to get through introductions. I'm Hiroshi, you probably already know that though. It's nice to meet you Kushina. Perhaps I should be calling you master now, or teacher ev~~Hurgh!" I ended, a twitch in my smile the only reaction as her hand launched out and grabbed ahold of my cheek!

"Oh My God! You're so adorable! And Cute! And mature! Ohh, I just wanna hug you and squeeze your cheeks!" I was scrabbling futilely to get her hands detached from my cheeks. I gave up moments later, resistance was futile. Oh god, what the hell had I signed myself up for! I was pulled into a rib crushing hug a few moments later.

Oh god, it hurt. I reiterate, what had I signed myself up for. Well, her exuberance appeared the same with what I knew of her. As my now red cheeks could testify.

I was released from her embrace a few moments later, three deep breaths followed even as she started talking. The air had never tasted so sweet. "Teacher, definitely teacher. Before we get down to the nitty-gritty, however, Minato and I had a little test to do first. We wanted to gauge your levels since Minato and I work together a lot, you'll be working together a lot. So, we figured a duo test would work. Well, initially at least." Was it just me or was her speech getting faster?

"Afterwardswe'llbehavingindividualtestsso" Here she paused for breath, her words were still incomprehensible when she continued, "Wecanseewhereyouneedworkbutthat'llwaitdattebane."

Err, I held my hand up and interrupted her gesticulating and wild chattering, "Err Kushina, Ma'am? Could you may be slow down a little? I can't quite follow you if you talk that fast."

She looked embarrassed, a faint red dusting appearing on her cheeks for a moment that I almost missed considering the red already framed her face. I hope this wasn't a recurring feature.

"Err, sorry about that. I get a bit excited at times, hehehehe." She was rubbing her head exactly like someone else I know.

I eyed her suspiciously, "I know, my cheeks can tell."

Her hand twitched slightly, her smile becoming a little more strained, "That wasn't my fault, you were just so cute and I wanted to pinch your cheeks, so I did. Anyway, we had some exercises planed as soon as Minato stops being a little bitch and gets back over here actually."

Uhmm, Kushina? Where you meant to be that mean to poor ol' Minato. I mean, I did just confuse him for you and I don't think that's ever happened before.

"Err, why don't we go over to them Ma'am? I mean really, they're only across the street and we can chat on the way." I looked over to where Minato and Kakashi were crouched down reading talking in whispers, the comradery I could feel all but emanating from them means my little ploy had worked. Mutual embarrassment was a great way of making friends.

Kushina nodded her head, before beginning to march in their direction but I had a question to ask. "Dattebane?"

She didn't answer me, just continued walking towards them, if a little bit faster.

As we were approaching Minato and Kakashi, Kushina turned to look at me before informing me of where I was to head. Training ground twenty-one apparently, which funnily _enough_ happened to be on the very edge of the village. Minato appeared to be saying something similar to Kakashi because he and Kushina looked at each other before nodding and disappearing?

I think that may have been the Shunshin Technique. I didn't realize it looked like that, and now I wanted to learn it. First on the agenda for techniques to wheedle out of Kushina, the Shunshin.

I turned to Kakashi who was little a little lost, I guess Minato didn't really tell him much, "Training ground twenty-one for you too?"

A nod, guess there's no change then. I started walking in the direction of which I knew training ground twenty-one to reside. I'd actually used it before in the past, it was a fairly large area with the _terrible_ terrain. No solid ground or footing to be had anywhere. I'd been practicing my stances and Taijutsu on it.

I couldn't count on having solid footing in real combat, and it helped me practice without solid footing. My Gentle Fist Style combat was noticeably worse in those conditions but my practice had borne fruit. I was less terrible than I would've been going into it blind.

I sighed a bit, we had a little walk to go before us, and I had an apology to make, "Sorry about giving you the shiner Kakashi. I think we may have gotten a little too into it this morning."

"Hn, I guess we did. How's your elbow and your stomach? I know I kicked your rather hand there."

I ghosted a hand over my stomach, it's true he _had_ landed a rather solid blow but the gamer's body had spirited away the pain in but a moment. I felt nothing now, but I still followed the actions of touching it. "Sore, I'll live though."

I was lying through my teeth, but he didn't need to know that. I wasn't sore at all.

"Sorry again, though, did Minato ask about it?"

"Yeah, asked if someone had punched me in the face, I told him you did."

I felt distinctly as though I'd just been thrown under a bus.

"Thanks, Kakashi. I appreciate it." I grumbled.

* * *

Arriving at the training ground, we got a solid minute to look around before our Teachers arrived from the forest on the far end of the training ground. Leaving the entire marshy, hilly, and bullshit filled expanse before us and them.

"Here we are, training ground twenty-one. We heard that you were both friends and training partners and so are we. Soo~ we wanted to see how you fared together before we do individual tests." He paused, probably to take a breath. He was shouting pretty loud, no, I'm sorry. He was _projecting._

"We're doing this because we will take missions together from time to time since neither of you have teams. In the future, we hope that we will have two full teams, but until then it will only be four of us." Minato managed to get out in breath across the clearing, as he was looking at the both of us. We were standing opposite both him and Kushina, there was quite the distance between us.

"The test is very simple, you have to land a clean hit on either of us. But we will not make it easy for you two, because your enemies certainly won't." Kushina chimed in, her voice all but laughing at the idea that they could land a hit on either of them. Well, I guess me and Kakashi would have to teach them a lesson.

* * *

[A Quest Has Been Created!]

**Abilities Test!**

Your Hopeful Jonin instructors are curious about your abilities both as an individual and as a unit. They want to know where you stand on all fronts of your ninja techniques and will draw this fight out until you're both too exhausted to go on.

They want to see what happens when you're drained of everything. Will you get back up or will you fall down and yield. Will you work together or against each other? This is as much a test of your abilities as it is of your character.

**Objectives:**

_Land A Solid Hit [0/1]_

_Use Five Techniques [0/5]_

_Remain Conscious During The Entire Fight_

_Work Together With Kakashi_

_Surprise Your Teachers_

**Rewards for Success:**

_15,000 EXP_

_7,500 Ryo_

_Title: Prodigious Apprentice_

**Failure:**

_Title: Disappointing Apprentice_

* * *

I stared at the box denoting the quest, well shit. I wasn't even getting an option to decline it. I guess this was a Main Story Quest or something? I feel a bit shafted honestly, even though the rewards made me salivate. Damn, that was a lot of EXP and Ryo, not that I'd be able to spend it.

I looked over at Kakashi, he looked at me. "Plan C?"

"I was thinking more Plan A myself, but C could work. At least initially. I see no reason why not. How are we gonna get them to engage us though? I mean, I don't fancy running across this marsh to get to them, who knows what traps they've laid for us."

"Don't worry Kakashi, I have a plan."

I took a deep breath, debating the stupidity of what I was about do, **"HEY TOMATO-CHAN, I'M NO PHOTOGRAPHER, BUT I CAN PICTURE US TOGETHER!"**

I could see them both freeze as my words hit them, well time to go for broke I suppose, **"I LOVE YOU FROM MY HEAD TOMATOES!"**

Heh, tomatoes, to my toes, get it?

Kakashi apparently did, if his groan was anything to go by. "Are you kidding me, man, what's tomato with you?"

I took one look at Kushina's visage, and holy shit, was her hair floating? Oh, Fuckity fucky fuck.

I turned on the spot and started sprinting, "What are you waiting for Kakashi, an invitation? Hurry and ketchup!"

I only just managed to finish shouting over my shoulder before I was dodging a sword swung to cut my head off.

Guys, I think I might have made her angry.

**Quest Objective Complete; Surprise Your Teachers.**

Well, it's not quite what I had in mind, but I'll take it.


	13. What's on the menu? Me-n-u

**Chapter 12**

* * *

The fight was a graceful clash of fists and beautiful dodging of an instrument of death swung with lethal intent.

Is what I wanted to say

It was anything but, Kushina's first swing had missed by a hair, and her second overhead strike had split the ground. How she'd managed to turn the first swing into an overhead swing, I'll never know.

But, I shit you not, a literal fissure had appeared briefly in the ground before filling in again as the muddy terrain said 'Nope, no hole for you'.

I dodge a hook sent my way only to have bend over backwards to avoid the coming swing of a sword. I was well and truly caught up in the hurricane that was Kushina Uzumaki. And it was a hurricane in more ways than one.

From what little I've seen so far her whole fighting style revolves around circles and spirals. As soon as one cycle ends, another begins. Out of a sweep and into a spin, out of a spin into a twirl, on and on.

I could see why she was a blade mistress, without a doubt. I think my earlier comments aimed at her sore spot weren't too well received, nor were they appreciated.

Ohh, Idea!

"Heh, I could make a pun about Uzumakis but I'd be going in circles."

I then proceeded to duck with all my speed. Sword bad for health, yes.

I may have poked Kushina's weak point a little too much actually if the speed and intensity of her attacks were any indicator. The ground around our 'dance' was full of fissures slowly filling again, from strikes that had missed their intended target. Thank god.

Duck a swing, dodge a fist, _parry_ a kick, dance through a torrent of swipes and roll under a high kick to try and put some distance between us.

I'd been on the back foot since the beginning of this fight pretty much and I didn't think I'd impress my potential teachers if that remained the case. I think a little improvisation is in order. I dig my left foot into the muddy terrain beneath me and execute a textbook backflip as Kushina committed herself to another sword charge. Her sword leading of course.

The displaced mud splattered from the ground on a flight path towards Kushina who spotted it and blocked the mud that would hit her face with the sword. I guess it _wasn't_ just for waving around madly. It was then that I spotted an anomaly, her footprints. Were they solid?

I almost felt like smacking myself honestly, they'd even taught us this at the academy. She was using the same principal as water walking but applying it to the ground instead. I had to give her props, I never would've thought of it. Now that I _had_, however, I wanted to try something, but more specifically. I wanted to know if I could use her footprints as stepping stones. Perhaps she was just increasing the mud's density under her own feet, but maybe it was solid enough for me to get some grounding?

All I had to was wait. Kushina didn't make me wait long, she was on me again not a few seconds later her sword preceding her body and I did something that every book I'd read on the matter said was absolutely stupid to do unless you were extremely experienced, I stepped into her guard. Now, I know what you might be thinking, that getting into a swords user's guard was a good thing, that it removed the blade from the equation, except that's not really the case.

You then had to stay close and you left yourself open for all manner of attacks, spea~**~!**

Kushina had grabbed my clothing and spun, dragging me along behind her. She'd somehow turned the outward momentum into upward movement and I would've found myself buried face first in the mud a moment later having arched above her head and into the ground had I not arrested the movement by sliding into a Kaiten.

I violently forced Chakra out from tenketsu allowing me to rather forcefully impart moment to myself, a move which I knew would _-should- _ start my skill actually and I was proven correct and even though I was in the air, horizontal I began spinning, a viridian blue dome exploding from me, only I did something else this time.

I grabbed Kushina's wrist as I began spinning actually. Well, I grabbed it on my second rotation but what can you do?

She was dragged quite forcefully from the ground as the skill imparted heavenly force unto me for its duration. I actually managed to keep ahold of her for a full rotation before the force that I'd imparted to her forced her from my grip.

Kushina flew through the air horizontally, a mildly impressed look on her face before she somehow slowed down and gracefully slid on the mud, rapidly bleeding all the momentum away and when stopped calmly stopped on the ground from her slightly elevated position.

I noticed a faintly glowing chain digging into the earth, I traced it to her back. Oi, that was cheating!

If you're going to use your special abilities, so am I you cheating cheater! Hey, what are you looking at me like that for, it's only cheating if the other person's doing it.

That having been said, I activated the Byakugan.

It's honestly hard to describe and I won't bother at the moment because as the veins around my eyes bulged slightly to handle the Chakra I was feeding into them, Kushina seemed to decide that I'd had enough time. Her sword was already blurring through the air, aimed to slice my delicate head from my shoulders, again.

Oi oi, you do know you can aim elsewhere woman? Even as I ducked I considered that it was probably the most effective way of ending a fight and engagement actually. What good is an opponents skill and technique if they're fucking dead? Their head detached from their body? But it also makes an opponent extremely predictable. You know they'll aim for your vitals, so you know how to make use of it and turn their perceived advantage into your own.

Didn't make it any less annoying to deal with, the blade in general actually. Another flip away, again slinging mud in Kushina's direction and grabbing a handful for myself, I also employed a neat little technique I'd discovered. Well more a, well I don't even know. Basically, what it let me do was remove an item from my inventory in my hands so long as I knew exactly where in my Inventory the item lay. Without even pulling the screen up even. Rather organic all said and done.

That being said, I grabbed a white piece of paper ripped from a scroll from my inventory and stuffed it into the mud ball I'd been shaping while doing that. A minor application of crafting and I summarily ignored the windows that popped up, informing me of the saved design and I hurled the ball at Kushina.

The time it spent travelling in the air was more than enough for Kushina to recognise the paper

sticking from the ball if the way she suddenly, for lack of a more appropriate term _skittered_ from its flight path. I guess when you were a seal master anything that looked remotely like a seal was to be avoided with extreme prejudice?

I wasn't one to waste an opportunity, I used it to ascertain the situation on Kakashi's half of the battlefield. While a distraction like this is deadly when fighting a ninja, I had a Byakugan, so I didn't count. It seemed to be well, _going_ I suppose.

He hadn't particularly lost ground but he certainly wasn't gaining it. Minato seemed to be actively engaging Kakashi and drawing him into his own pace if the current exchange of blows the two were engaged in was any indication.

It was at this stage that I noticed an outlier on this field. Well, I'd known about it earlier but it only really stuck out to me now because I could use it to my advantage. I'd go out on a limb and assume that Kushina's technique for combining the dirt beneath her feet, giving her solid footing wouldn't work if the dirt was displaced with enough water.

What I'd noticed was a sealed array aligned beneath this training ground. Deep enough that it wasn't really something you'd run into unless you went looking for it. What it was, however, was the reason this training field was a marsh. It generated water, well it absorbed ambient chakra and turned it into water which it fed into the ground. I was really going to have to look into that later.

I had a few ideas on what to do with it, but more annoyingly I'd have to get past Kushina or get some free time to do what I wanted to do. I shelved that idea, moot point.

It sucked that I couldn't actually engage Kushina in hand to hand combat, my most advanced form of combat because of that damn sword. I'd need a way to remove…

A devious idea shot into my mind, I wouldn't quite say I smirked, but it was close.

I molded some Chakra beneath my feet and attempted a crude copy of what Kushina did. I basically used my chakra as a suction pump forcing the dirt to gather beneath my feet so I had semi-solid ground to stand on.

*trrrring*

_**A new Skill has been created!**_

**Marsh Marching**

**Chakra Cost: 15 per 'Step'**

**A technique in which people traversing unsuitable terrain would make themselves solid ground. Works by pulling dirt, or the closest equivalent to the user's feet forming a solid mass. The suction caused by this could glue the user to more solid ground should it be used on a solid grounding.**

Heh, the gamer pulled through for me again. Yikes, the Chakra cost was high but I wouldn't be using it for long this fight, that was for sure.

That having been said, two 'steps' later and I was in position, and down thirty chakra. I set my stance and waited.

While I was waiting, I was busy, my chakra leaking through my feet into the ground and creating a solid base for next move. Kushina was probably a second out, and her sword was here. Begin plan!

I slapped the side of my fist against the flat of her blade and used the momentum to kickstart a Kaiten. The skill lasted for all of half a second that it took me to do half a rotation, as I backhanded the blade again and knocked it fully of course. Kushina looked mildly surprised for a moment before she moved to right it.

I intervened before she had a chance after finishing my twirl, my face screwing up in an exaggerated pout as I kicked her in the shin.

Kushina looked utterly amused as my foot was swinging before her face pinched in pain as I blocked one of the tenketsu in her leg. As a direct result, the mud that she was holding solid beneath her foot turned back into regular, pliable and more importantly, nonsolid ground.

In other words, she slipped. I used this to catapult the second phase of my plan into action.

I had reached to grab her sword the moment I had started the kick, and as she slipped I used all the strength I could gather to pull her sword from her grip and placed it between me and her. I had my hand on handle and somewhere on the blade, flat so it covered a larger area.

Wait… was that fist getting bigger? I had a moment to ponder it, then it hit me.

Well, it hit the sword really. Good thing I'd jumped back when I had or that would've dislocated both of my shoulders. Ouch. I swear I could still feel it even though the Gamers Body had spirited it away already.

Well, here I was. Spinning in the air on a collision course with Minato. The third and final part of my plan actually. I was a spinning, white missile.

And spinning was exactly what I wanted.

As I approached Minato and Kakashi's battle, I began accelerating my spin with some chakra in preparation for a Kaiten. Minato was about to have a rude surprise.

And he was, for a second surprised. He reacted exactly like I expected him to, he dodged in a flash. But I never aimed to hit him, I was aiming for Kakashi all along. As soon as I reached him I ended Kaiten, grabbed his arms and dragged him with me away from the two jonin.

The two of us immediately helped each other regain our balance and started preparing a technique that we've been working on for a while now. But while we were doing that, Kushina and Minato didn't have the decency to simply stand around, they charged us. I immediately knew that we won't be able to activate the technique in time, so I decided to slow them down.

Remember that explosive tag that I threw at Kushina at the beginning of the fight? Yeah, the one I hid in the mud but never actually blew up. Well, it just happened to end up between the two jonins and the two of us. Kushina probably totally forgot about it and Minato never saw me throwing it, the moment they were close to the mudball, I exploded it.

Kushina and Minato reacted instantly, the moment the explosion happened, both of them jumped away. They then proceeded to run towards Kakashi and me as if nothing happened. But, I achieved what I wanted, I bought the time we needed to complete the technique.

I extended my left hand towards Kakashi. Lightning started to course visibly from my arm, it began at my shoulder roughly and only got more pronounced towards my fingers. The same thing was happening to Kakashi, although to a lesser extent as he extended his right hand towards me.

A very loud sound started to reverberate through the clearing we were in, it was a sound similar to a flock of birds chirping at the same time, only if it had been recorded and run through a filter to make it many, many times more 'screechy'. I also noted that my CP bar was taking a very noticeable drop. As in, it had already dropped below half and its rapid consumption wasn't slowing down.

"Kakashi, now!" A thread of azure lightning _shrieked _from our hands and met in the middle, as it did we both started rushing forwards in eerie synchronicity, a shared battle cry at our lips, "CHIDORI: RAIDEN!"

What, why do you think we called it Plan C?

At times I felt bad for stealing what was to be Kakashi's signature technique, I stopped feeling bad after I actually used it the first time. The sheer speed, the exhilarating feeling of moving at those speeds is not something easily distilled into words. It's the epitome of, 'you had to be there'.

The tunnel vision is the ultimate weakness of Chidori, but that is something easy to overcome for one who has Byakugan. That having been said, even having the Byakugan only mitigated this problem. During the times we practiced this technique I made sure that Kakashi knew to follow my lead when we are performing any variation of Chidori.

Apparently, when he did it, he could 'feel' where I was so long as I was using the technique too. Don't even ask, I didn't, I had a feeling it'd drive me insane.

In a matter of a split second, we crossed half the clearing and were in front of the two jonin. I have to say I especially enjoyed seeing the surprised expression on their faces. I knew that we were never going to hit them but I think that surprising them like this will be sufficient. We cut through several trees at the other end of the clearing before we were able to stop ourselves and cancel the technique.

And by canceling the technique, I mean bleed enough lightning charged chakra off that it wouldn't fry ourselves and get back into combat readiness.

Minato and Kushina had jumped over our technique and landed right where I never expected them to. They landed in the place where I'd exploded the mud ball. A downright _pleasant_ smile split my lips, I had been waiting for a moment like this.

I raised one arm, the other hanging at my side as lightning was still jumping from it into the ground and formed half a seal, "Hey guys, you know what they say about art?"

I think my need for theatrics clued them in because they were already dodging before the second blast went off. "That it's a BLAST!"

That didn't, however, stop them from getting absolutely covered in mud.

There was only silence for a moment and the next thing I knew I was on my back with a sword at my throat.

XxXxX

I sat with Kakashi, who was looking worse for wear. I was heedless of the fact that I was sitting in mud, more humbled than anything, a moment was all it took. In saying that, it really didn't make much difference, a moment or anything. From the start of the fight I could tell they were sandbagging, I mean it was practically what they were meant to do.

It was still humbling to have been taken down so quickly.

I reach over and half punched half pushed Kakashi's shoulder, "I told you to jink it, not jank it. This is all your fault you know."

"Maybe if you didn't have us using the technique on such an ass backwards terrain, I wouldn't have jank'ed instead of jinking." I almost wince as the half shot, half growl, he did have a point. We hadn't really tested the technique too much on _the solid_ ground, now we were _using it in a combat situation _ on a marsh with each step having the chance to plunge you ankle deep and off balance.

Just as I was about to open my mouth again, Kushina beat me to it. "You did pretty nice work kids."

Urgh, she both sounded and was acting _way_ too enthusiastic at the moment, I call bullshit. Then again, this was probably a light warm up to them instead of a real fight. Yay, ninja magic.

"You could use some work, well a lot more work, and your stamina was kinda low. Your strength too~," Kushina was cut off, probably a good thing too as she was starting to speak faster and faster. This was going to be a recurring theme with her, wasn't it? I wonder if I should get a spray bottle so I can spray her when she starts yammering too fast for me to keep up?

Minato to the rescue! "Yes, that's to be expected, however, they're only fresh outta' the academy genin Kushina. You can't expect them to be on a chunin level already. I think they did a fine job for what they are."

Oiii, we're right here you know? Although, yes praise me more. I'd wag my tail but I didn't have one.

Kushina seemed to have deflated a little at Minato's interjection.

Minato spoke up again before Kushina could open her mouth, "How about we break and get to know each other? I wanna get to know my new apprentice and I'd assume you do as well Kushina?"

He punctuated her name by turning to look at her when he said it.

A wet thud interrupted Kushina just as she opened her mouth, I looked over to my side to find Kakashi had slumped down into the ground. A hand was half raised with a finger pointing up, "I'm fine, it's nice and cool here, can I stay?"

Minato chuckled, it was a nice warm sound, the kind that made you want to crack a happy smile even though you wanted to be dour, "No can do kiddo, c'mon. Up ya gh~eet!"

"**OOF" **Kakashi wheezed as Minato hauled him up to his feet. Kakashi's body protested immensely at the act, and as he was about to slump over again Minato reached out and gently nudged Kakashi so he would lean against his leg instead of taking another tumble.

"Where are you two headed?" I couldn't help myself, there was mischief to be had!

"To go get some food, chat a little and relax. We'll probably be heading to a training ground later, number five I think. Why did you want to know?"

"Well, it's gonna be kind of hard to buy anything without money, isn't it?" That provoked an immediate response, he started doing a little shimmy in place as he hunted down his wallet.

When his probing hands turned up no wallet, he immediately turned to Kushina, "What did you do with my wallet Kushina?!"

Kushina looked mildly alarmed too, "I did nothing with your wallet! I didn't even know it.. Was… missing…."

Kushina's head had slowly turned my directing as she spotted the object I'd been waving around, Minato's wallet.

"Looking for this?"

Minato had grabbed it from my hand and I hadn't even seen him move, he was combing through it instantly too. Okay then, I guess they were looking for the wallet.

"Yes, we were looking for this. Thank you." Minato half shouted over his shoulder as he corralled Kakashi out of the field in the direction of the village. I'd never seen someone corralled so quickly before, I wonder if that was a skill or something.

I almost felt like shouting for him to not leave me alone. I didn't like the look Kushina was shooting me. It gave me the chills. I looked up at her after Kakashi and Minato had well and truly vacated the area.

"Soo… are we gonna stay or go somewhere where the ground isn't gonna swallow us up whole? Something nice and hot after that should do some good I think."

Her expression seemed to brighten as though she had just been hit by a great idea. I'm going to assume by the lack of my face getting beaten in that she missed my _entirely unintentional _innuendo. Thank god. What's that look for? I'm being serious.

"I know the perfect place!" A moment later an iron grip latched onto my shoulder and I was a reed on the air seconds later. Apparently, when Kushina wanted to be somewhere, you didn't wanna be in her way.

Ichiraku Ramen.

Kushina had taken me to visit Ichiraku Ramen.

I have to say, however, that the place looks a lot well… smaller and more run down that it ever was in the manga.

"Oii, Teuchi ya in!?" Kushina hollered from outside the flap as she ducked into the street stand.

"Well if it isn't mah' favourite customer! Welcome welcome, come in sit down and make yourself comfortable! Your usual?"

"Ohh, throw two beef ramen in on that, it's a special occasion today! I got myself a lil' apprentice!" She sounded so happy about that.

I drolly cut in, "Said apprentice would like a large miso please."

I gently nudged Kushina with an elbow, "Introductions?"

Kushina looks at me askance for a second before continuing on as though nothing had happened.

"Right, this here is Hiroshi Hyuga. Hiroshi, this good man here is Teuchi Ichiraku." I guess the name for his stand had to come from somewhere?

Whatever the case, he had immediately started rattling his pots and pans. Flower from one into another, some form of vegetable I couldn't pin down. It was white and circular in shape, a red spiral set upon in in the middle of each side.

Kamaboko I think it was. Whatever the case, he started jangling multiple pots around as our ramen was made ready to order. Noodles and all.

It felt kinda nice having food made directly in front of you. More personal in fact. Kushina, however, had decided to bug me from my watching because she had questions.

"Since I don't really know you, and you don't really know me, how about we summarize ourselves? You know, a couple likes, dislikes and a few hobbies you enjoy?"

Ohh, I know this game!

"Could you give me an example?" I pushed as much mock sincerity into my voice as I could manage.

Kushina rolled her eyes and looked at me as though I was slow but began speaking anyway, "Well, I like salt ramen and swords. I dislike perverts, coffee and anything bitter."

Kushina paused here, a dark look crossing her face. I guess she'd already had a run in with Jiraiya?

"My hobbies include but aren't limited to Sealing and Pranking."

_Pranking as a hobby?_

My question must have shown on my face because she was already explaining before I could voice it.

"Oh you know, some subtle things to keep everyone on their toes." Her smile was positively beatific, it did nothing to make that statement less horrifying.

I was hesitant as if it'd just hit me. I'd just been apprenticed to Naruto Uzumaki's mother, the mother of the self-proclaimed 'Prank King'. Oh god, I reiterate for the, however, many~ith time, what had I gotten myself into.

Even so, I was curious, morbidly so. "What's the best prank you would say you've ever pulled, Kushina?"

A smile appeared on her face, slow in that it began by twitching on the edge of her lips before it split her face, and let me tell you. It's the most, terrifying and enchanting thing I've ever seen, and I've seen little dainty Hyuga waifs take down fully built men in one hit.

"I told Minato he'd gotten me pregnant."

I had a feeling then, at that very moment had I had something in my hand It would've either shattered in my suddenly crushing grip or have been dropped as my arms went numb afterwards.

"You Kushina, are an evil, evil woman." I somehow managed to get, swallowing my mirth with a little help. The ramen had apparently arrived a while I was balking at the prank.

You know, that was absolutely evil. I couldn't help but pity the poor man, _that_ must've been horrifying. "Did you get pictures?"

An utterly appalled look crossed her face, "What do you take me for? An amateur!?"

Soo many ways I could use that, "No, I think you're a lightweight."

Kushina bit back with her eye twitching, "What do you mean a _lightweight?_"

I said nothing as I picked a pair of disposable chopsticks from the container sat on the slightly used countertop, "I think I could eat more Ramen than you could, Kushina."

Even Ichiraku paused in what he was doing to turn to look at me, his face set in a strained smile. What's that old man? You thought you were gonna have a nice, if busy night? Oh no, you're gonna work for your money today.

That having been said, I dug in with the chopsticks and was well surprised at the taste. It was… _good._

My gusto wasn't entirely forced after that, I even managed to pack away the bowl before Kushina had finished hers. This was something about the gamers body I'd only discovered recently actually, I don't actually need to eat.

I'll get 'hungry' I suppose, but only in the abstract sense. Kinda like you mentally acknowledge that you're hungry and you should eat something but can't really 'feel' it. Not eating didn't adversely affect me, it never got any worse for the two days I didn't eat. Sleep on the other hand was something I absolutely required, I even got a debuff for not sleeping within a 24 hour time period.

It was a scaling debuff, it stated so itself. At the beginning, I only lost a quarter of my INT and WIS, but it would slowly scale until I had lost up to 90% of both stats. At least until I slept again.

But yeah, eating. I could eat or not eat and it wouldn't effect me at all. I wonder if I could create buff foods? Bah, besides the point. The food was optional as far as I was concerned.

It also, however, let me eat more than my fair share like I could eat it and it'd just disappear off somewhere when It got to my stomach.

Kushina had looked slightly taken aback before a vicious grin grew on her lips, I had just challenged her to something she would take great pleasure in beating me at, apparently.

Only I was going to cheat, what? Did you expect different? For shame.

I tentatively offered when one of the chopsticks she was holding broke, "Loser pays for both?"

Teuchi looked as though he was being invited into heaven at gunpoint.

XxXxX

The empty ramen bowls on Kushina's side of the bench were stacked high. Amusingly enough, the mountain of bowls we had demolished had been stacked up neatly beside her. It looked like she'd had much practice doing it too.

I handed mine over to her and it joined the pile, being perched neatly at the top of the stack.

That was kinda impressive.

"I don't think I got to do our little introduction game thing did I?"

"Nope." The pop on the P was loud enough to drown on the e completely, it ended up sounding something like nop instead.

"Would you still like for me to give it a shot?"

"Yeah, I don't see _-slurp- _why you shouldn't." I almost shuddered at the visceral slurping noise Kushina managed to produce. God, it almost sounded like someone managed to break a bone or something!

That mischief sense that I honed for as long as I could remember tingled, I sensed an opportunity.

"Well, I'd like to take a moment to talk about our lord and savior, Puns. I have it on good authority that they're puns of fun."

Oh my, was that a groan? My my, how could you Kushina! You're meant to encourage your pitiful student's self-esteem, not diminish it by groaning at him!

"I dislike back breaking labour, nerfs and the Council of Elderly Bats."

Kushina perked up a little, the stool she was sitting on releasing an ominous creak as she did so, "Nerfs?"

The shudder I shuddered was very real, and unexaggerated, I was terrified of nerfs, "You **do not want **to know."

I continued on before she had a chance to rally.

"My hobbies are Grinding, Cleaning, anything without vegetables and My Hair. Why? Because having hair this awesome is practically a full-time job." I shot a haughty look at Kushina's fringe. If the motion just so happened to make my luscious locks bounce, well that was entirely unintentional.

Actually looking at that hair, I couldn't help myself. "Hey, Kushina have you ever considered a tail or a low tail style?"

And so it went on, friendly banter with the occasional jab here and there. Honestly, most of them flew right over her head… Oh, I can tell that I'll be enjoying this. If we happened to be downing ramen at a prodigious rate even while doing so well, it was ancillary

…

"**ENOUGH! I DON'T HAVE ANYMORE RAMEN! YOU'VE EATEN IT ALL!" **Teuchi punctuated his rather desperate statement by slamming his hands on the countertop, the bowls stacked high rattled precariously.

Kushina looked as though someone had killed her dog and pissed on her cat. Maybe her fox would've been a better analogy?

Well, I suppose seeing as neither of us had really 'won', "Fifty-fifty Kushina?"

She turned her eyes on me and pouted, but nodded. She was already reaching for her wallet.

XxXxX

Eventually, however, the time had come for us to call it a night, the sun was creeping into the shadows and the moon was crawling its way from wherever it hid during the day to illuminate what it could with its reflected light.

Kushina had called the day done earlier and turned me loose on the village, she wanted to get some things planned out and we would be kicking my apprenticeship into gear tomorrow.

That having been said and done, however, I went off to find Kakashi and Minato. I wanted to see how they were getting along after today, I had little doubt that Minato would have put Kakashi through his paces quite literally.

As I made my way through the village to the training area I flicked up the quest long, ignoring the quests only other quest in the log.

**"This isn't a seal, It's a brand!"**

I mentally focused on the one below it, and 'tapped' on it, again mentally. I was trying to break the habit of using physical gestures when interacting with the game menu.

Nothing would give away my abnormalities than waving my arms around like a dickhead, not to mention that calling the skills out in my head saved both times and didn't make me look like more of a loony than I already was perceived as.

The quest I had clicked on popped up with a dulcet tone;

**Abilities Test!**

Your Hopeful Jonin instructors are curious about your abilities both as an individual and as a unit. They want to know where you stand on all fronts of your ninja techniques and will draw this fight out until you're both too exhausted to go on.

They want to see what happens when you're drained of everything. Will you get back up or will you fall down and yield. Will you work together or against each other? This is as much a test of your abilities as it is of your character.

**Objectives:**

_Land A Solid Hit [1/1]_

_Use Five Techniques [5/5]_

_Remain Conscious During The Entire Fight [X]_

_Work Together With Kakashi [X]_

_Surprise Your Teachers [X]_

**Rewards for Success:**

_15,000 EXP_

_7,500 Ryo_

_Title: Prodigious Apprentice_

**Failure:**

_Title: Disappointing Apprentice_

I tapped the finish quest button again, the rewards were welcome, I was however much more interested in the title.

***Trrring***

**The Title, Shinobi In Training has been Replaced!**

**Prodigious Apprentice!  
**_Stat gains are increased by 100%_

_All EXP gains are increased by 25%  
_

_You're an apprentice among apprentices, you're the one that teachers would happily poison, kill and murder for. Your raw untamed talent is something that any teacher worth their name would take great pleasure in molding._

That was a little….

Immediately following my 'completion' of the quest, another message popped up for me, how lucky.

***Trrrring!***

**You've acquired a new title! **

**Konoha Genin**

_5% Increased Experience Gain._

_15% Increased Skill Experience Gain._

_10% Discount to Shinobi Stores within Konoha.  
25% Increased Damage when with Allied Shinobi.  
10% Decreased Damage Taken when with Allied Shinobi._

_You're a genin of Konoha now son, and you reap all the rewards that entails, you'll also shoulder all the responsibilities that it entails. Don't get your head chopped off during your first fight!_

I was mildly surprised at how well I'd done all said and done, both in accordance to the quest and in all reality. I was happy, but at the same time, I recognized that I had a long, long way to go if I wanted to stand back to back and shoulder to shoulder with the greats of the Naruto world.

Also, I was spitting mad that I wasn't twelve years old yet, can you imagine how good Prodigious Apprentice would've been had I gained stats normally without it? Oh man, what a missed opportunity.

My head nodded and my face smiled in response to the respectful nods sent my way. Say what you want about being a prodigy, sure it _sucked_ some days, and others it was downright grueling. I had expectations and preconceived notions on how I should act, walk and shit from the moment I proved myself to be a 'prodigy'…

Yeah, actually nevermind. Nope, being a prodigy wasn't that great.

Even so, I let the _\- fake - _smile grow on my face as I returned nods and smiles on my way to the training grounds. On one hand, recognition, on the other, people gunning for my head. I lost myself in my thoughts as I moved on autopilot.

I was brought from my thoughts when my foot hit the beginning of the bridge and I pinwheeled on the spot to stop falling for a moment before I heard more than I saw Minato dismissing Kakashi for the day, "Good job today Kakashi! I can see why you graduated early, absolutely amazing. We do need to work on your stamina, though. Don't think I didn't notice you start lagging after the first half hour."

Kakashi's rather bedraggled voice interjected then, "I'm only five, and you know, being this young kinda entails a lack of stamina!"

Minato cut in before Kakashi could get further riled up, "True, but you can be better and I expect you to do better in the future under my tutelage, otherwise I'd feel bad because I wouldn't be teaching you properly, would I?."

I crested the bridge just in time to see Minato helping Kakashi stand, his last comment before disappearing had me huffing in bemused disbelief, "I'd offer to help you home but something tells me your friend is here for that reason. I'll expect you to be here tomorrow at eight, later than usual but I think you'll need the rest. Goodnight Kakashi."

If Minato just so happened to drop a hand on Kakashi's head and ruffled his hair before he disappeared, well I didn't see anything.

I also didn't see the bewildered smile that surfaced beneath his mask. My Byakugan most certainly wasn't active, what're you on about? I didn't see anything, and I'll stand by that statement even under the pain of torture.

Even so, I raised a hand in a wave with a real smile surfacing on my face, "Yo?"

"Yo _yo_urself." Kakashi grumbled, urgh. Rude. I guess I'mma have to thump him on the head again, aren't I?

Kakashi must've seen something because all of a sudden he skittered away from me, "Hiroshi, what're you doing?"

… I'm doing nothing, nope, no idea what you're on about Kakashi my good man!

"Hiroshi, why are you smiling like that?" I have absolutely no idea what he's talking about, let me assure you. None at all.

Boisterously out loud I continued, "Kakashi my good man! I have no idea what you're on about!"

Even so, it seemed to calm Kakashi slightly, I guess he really _was_ dead tired.

"You gonna be okay? You don't seem like your usual exuberant self." I asked, slightly concerned.

"In what way, shape or form is my usual self_-exuberant?!_" Kakashi cut back, oooh. Ouch, that one was deep! The _iron_y, it made such a sharp knife. Careful Kakashi, you'll poke an eye out with that.

Did Kakashi just groan? I'm pretty sure I didn't do anything that would make him groan, "Why are you groaning?"

"You made a stupid pun, again, didn't you?"

"Urk, Kakashi! Mean! I think I'll need to cry myself to sleep tonight." A few exaggerated sniffs followed afterwards for added effect.

His eyes narrowed even as he staggered towards me, using the handrail of the bridge to keep himself steady, "You keep this up Hiroshi and I'm afraid I'll have to cut this short. I'd rather knot get all tied up in your puns."

I narrowed my eyes in response. This deserves a truly spectacular rebuttal. "I suppose, I mean I was thinking of getting a new haircut anyway."

Kakashi's head whipped to me so fast I feared he'd throw something out, "You love your hair!"

I nodded decisively, "Yeah, you're right. I'll mullet over."

Kakashi groaned even as small peals of laugh giggles escaped him even though. My hand shot out to grab him as he tipped over precariously.

"Oi oi, you alright?" There was a real worry in my voice, was he really that tired?

"Neh, Hiroshi. I'm tired." I guess that confirmed it, still, Kakashi had left an opening!

"Hi tired, I'm Hiroshi."

… Was that a snore?

Had that bastard actually fallen asleep on me?

I pulled a face as I picked him up, no choice then. I'll dump him at his house and head off to do some more training maybe?

That having been said, I slung him over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Nobody said I had to be gentle.

XxXxX

I winced as I mentally lodged the stick up my ass again. Yep, I was fast approaching the compound. It simply wouldn't do to be seen without the ten-foot pole us Hyuga are known for.

I greeted the guards with a curt nod and was promptly informed of some news, namely that the clan head wanted to see me. Apparently now, one of the first things I would need to do would be reporting to the clan head on how my day had gone, who I'd been assigned as a teacher and if I felt I could learn anything beneficial from them.

Well, if I could learn more from them than I could from the Hyuga instructors anyway.

If I say that I don't think that Kushina is qualified than Hyuga clan will throw a huge tantrum and get me another teacher. Not that the Hyuga wouldn't be caught dead acting anything other than prim and proper, but a few well-placed glances and disdainful sniffs would achieve the same thing as tempter tantrum. In the end, however, it was basically politics.

The gates to the compound slid open without sound, as befitting of the Hyuga as I made my way in, a few nods at respected people who deserved it and a lot of people who didn't.

In a few moments I was nearing the room, I knocked lightly on the door and was forced to step aside as the door was practically slammed open, Hizashi all but storming past me. He didn't even acknowledge me, and I still felt that small pang deep in my chest. A chord being plucked under the not so tender fingers of disinterest.

I slowly peeked my head in to make sure there would be no more surprises before I slipped in, making sure to raise a questioning eyebrow at Hiashi who sat on the far side of the table in the center of the room. I noticed it a moment afterwards, but the position Hiashi was sitting in was the only spot in the room that afforded one a view of all possible entrances and exits.

Hiashi either ignored my entrance or didn't sense me enter. The look on his face told me he was pretty far in thought, I initially thought it was with the paperwork he was holding but called the idea bust after getting a peek at it. He was deep in thought, I decided. How did I know? He was holding the paperwork upside down.

I sat myself down opposite him at the table, quietly nabbing both the teapot and the two cups sitting unused on the adjoining plate. I watched as the liquid in the pot spilled into the cups, mildly bemused. This was the good stuff here, the tea Hiashi brought out when he was going to have an extremely bad day, or knew something was about to go terribly wrong.

I loved the stuff, till. He wouldn't tell me where to buy some so I could enjoy it myself. Bastard.

Even so, I got comfortable, and amused myself by again, reaching up my sleeves and pulling a few coins from my inventory, which I might add was hovering at a considerably lower mark that before my abrupt eating contest with Kushina.

I began spinning the coin in a knuckle shuffle as I wanted, it shouldn't take Hiashi too long to notice he had company. I hope.

Notice me he did, a few minutes later. His hands seemed to grope around for a second before finding the teacup and he took a fortifying swing. Apparently, he had long since passed the need for a simple sip.

He looked at me for a moment before I raised my brow, "You asked for me Hiashi?"

"Yeesss… I did, tell me, how did the meeting with your jounin teacher go?" I suppose he was slow at the beginning because he was ordering his thoughts maybe? I don't really know, you could never tell with those Hyuga types.

With that I began detailing my day, both the hopeful teachers of both myself and Kakashi, I made no mention of the plans I had in regards to turning it into a pseudo team of sorts.

It ended up winding down between us fifteen minutes later, Hiashi had made me argue each point that I brought up as to why Kushina was a better teacher for me than someone affiliated with the Hyuga clan. Well discussed actually because I don't think Hiashi would be caught dead arguing with someone. But still, the point remained.

If his arguments seemed half-hearted at times, I made no mention or gave even an inclination that I noticed.

It happened as I was sipping the last few sips of the tea, savouring it. I really would need to needle where he bought it from Hiashi, bastard.

"**HIROSHI HYUGA!" **The voice rattled the windows and chilled the soul. Ahh, speak of the devil and its voice shall appear. Or in this case, her voice.

I calmly took another sip of tea.

What? The tea was good.

* * *

**Fin~**

_Bonus joke of the chapter:_

_Which days of the week are the strongest? Saturday and Sunday, because the rest of the days are weekdays._

_**The Uninspired:**__ Sorry it took us so long to get this chapter written out, but we've had schedule clashes galore. Next chapter should hopefully be written and out soon. A month~ish maybe? I don't know. We'll try our best, and that's all we can ever do. _

_**Golum936:**__ Sorry for the long wait, let us know if you enjoyed it! :D_

* * *

"_Heya guys, wanna know what the next chapter is?"_

_Well too bad, I won't tell you._

"_But I will!"_

_It's an interlude!_


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